(CBC) – A federal cabinet minister says a directive to Service Canada agents telling them to use gender-neutral language — such as ‘parent’ instead of ‘mother’ or ‘father’ — when speaking to the public was badly worded and will be corrected. The directive, obtained by Radio Canada, the French-language arm of CBC, instructs Service Canada employees who interact with the public to stay away from terms such as Mr., Mrs., father and mother, and to “use gender-neutral language or gender-inclusive language.”
“This avoids portraying a perceived bias toward a particular sex or gender,” says a copy of speaking notes prepared for managers and team leaders. “It is important that Service Canada, as an organization, reflects Canada’s diverse population and ensures that the views and interests of Canadians are taken into account when we develop policies, programs, services and initiatives.” The move was quickly mocked by the Conservative opposition, who suggested Father’s Day and Mother’s Day would be renamed to be gender-neutral. READ MORE
