The future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the Canadian government is under scrutiny following proposals from Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. He advocates for an end to these programs, arguing that government roles should be filled based on merit and character rather than identity factors. Mark Milke, founder of the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, supports Poilievre's stance. He stated, "It goes to the basic question of what kind of society you want and what governments should be doing. Governments should not have bureaucracies whose job it is to discriminate based on skin colour, ethnicity, gender." Milke acknowledged that diversity can enhance understanding and economic growth but cautioned that DEI initiatives might restrict Canadian identity by focusing too heavily on race and ethnicity. His comments follow Poilievre's call for Canadians to sign a petition aimed at dismantling DEI programs, which he claims waste taxpayer money. In a post on X, Poilievre expressed his desire to "restore the merit principle." The Conservative party's petition criticizes the Liberal government for spending over a billion dollars on what they describe as "bloated" DEI bureaucracies. It specifically targets research funding, asserting that it should prioritize the best ideas rather than identity-based criteria. The petition claims that the Liberal government is undermining academic freedom and eroding trust in Canadian institutions by linking funding to identity politics. Since 2016, DEI programs have reportedly cost taxpayers approximately $1.04 billion. Supporters of DEI argue that these initiatives celebrate multiculturalism and amplify underrepresented voices. DEI Canada emphasizes that such programs drive systemic change. However, critics, including Conservative MP Jamil Jivani, have dismissed them as "superficial, empty, hollow virtue signalling." Geoffrey Leonardelli, a professor at the University of Toronto, noted that DEI principles have been part of Canadian society for decades. He stated, "There is a Canadian identity bound to this sense of multiculturalism and diversity. These programs are intended to create a more meritocratic society." Leonardelli acknowledged that while improvements can be made, DEI programs aim to maximize contributions from all individuals to achieve societal goals. He highlighted that these initiatives are designed to assist "equity deserving groups," which often include women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples. In contrast, Queen's University law professor Bruce Pardy criticized the current interpretation of equality in Canada. He argued that legal equality has shifted towards equity, which he claims results in different standards for different groups. Pardy stated, "In Canada, legal equality has come to mean equity, not equal treatment. Equity means that different rules and standards will be applied to members of different groups." Milke concluded that while the theoretical goals of DEI are commendable, the practice of selecting individuals based on ethnicity or gender is problematic. He stated, "What doesn’t make sense and what’s illiberal, anti-merit and anti-individual is picking people by ethnicity or race or background or gender, and saying you get preferred because of that." The Canadian government has implemented various DEI programs across its departments, including initiatives by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service aimed at ensuring fair treatment and opportunity for all individuals.