And it has a real impact.

A study done last year found that job applicants with ‘foreign’ names were much less likely to get callbacks than those with anglo names (or francophone names in Quebec). 

On CBC radio this morning, a researcher in Montreal was discussing their findings from this year.  They found that you were 60% less likely to get a callback or an interview if you had a ‘foreign’ last name.  They submitted essentially identical resumes…one ‘control’ resume with a traditional francophone last name, and then foreign-sounding names (African, Middle-Eastern, Latino).

My daughters have a Spanish last name.  This practice of consciously or unconsciously weeding out job seekers based on their presume ethnicity based on their name, will actively impact my daughters’ ability to find employment as adults.  Just as it is impacting the ability of so many people to find jobs right now. 

People in Canada need to stop pretending this is not a big deal.  I don’t know what we need to do to overcome this discrimination, but we have to acknowledge it and try harder.  Why the fuck should we or our children be disadvantaged based purely on ethnicity?

Why is it that the people who benefit from this sort of thing keep pretending it’s not happening?

Oh right.  Because we don’t live in a post-racial world.  Despite claims to the contrary.