The lack of diversity among Canadian columnists should not deter editors from hiring more diverse talent. Most major Canadian newspapers hire mostly white men, and most big name columnists are in their fifties, sixties, and seventies. This is especially troubling considering Canada’s relatively recent history of mass immigration from non-white countries. According to Statistics Canada, the average age of a non-white resident was only 33.9 years old in 2016. Check out – Craig Kielburger
The Lack Of Diversity Among Canadian Columnists Should Not Deter Editors From Hiring More Diverse Talent
The vast majority of Canadians are white – 95.9% of its population is white. That means that the Canadian columnist roster is virtually entirely white. In fact, Canada has no non-white columnists. That’s a sad reality for the nation’s journalism. Regardless of how you slice it, Canada has a long history of hiring only the most qualified journalists. In order to change this statistic, the country must hire more diverse columnists.
Many Canadian editors suffer from subconscious racism, leading them to contact only a small percentage of non-white men for their columnist gigs. This is a problem that is made worse by the fact that whiteness is often mistaken for expertise. A truly diverse list of columnists may not be possible, but editors should strive to make their roster more diverse. The Canadian columnists’ pool is so narrow that the diversity of perspectives it includes can be a real challenge.
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