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Letter condemning DEI pushback reaches over 200 signatures from Canadian tech leaders
02/26/25
A group of tech leaders has pushed back against the axing of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) funding by major Canadian tech companies, calling on their peers to uphold the programs in an open letter dated Feb. 23.
Last week, The Logic reported that Shopify, Canada’s largest tech company, sacked its equitable commerce team in January, which led programs aimed at supporting Black, Indigenous and women entrepreneurs.
“Influential tech companies in Canada have already started rolling back protections and support for women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Black and Indigenous communities, immigrants, and other marginalized groups,” the open letter read. “This is the wrong direction for Canada.”
The Shopify layoffs affected about a dozen workers, according to The Logic, which reported that the company also closed its Build Native and Build Black programs, which were initiated in 2020 after the high-profile murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matters protests.
Canadian tech leaders support DEI
Major signatories of the letter found at Whatinthetech.co include Arlene dikkinson, general partner at District Ventures Capital; Laura Gabor, founder of Ecologicca, and Kayla Isabelle, CEO of Startup Canada.The letter says that “influential tech companies” in Canada have started rolling back protections and support for women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Black and Indigenous communities, immigrants, and other marginalized groups.
“Make no mistake — powerful forces in our tech sector want to reshape Canada in the image of those who see inclusion as an obstacle, not an advantage. They lobby politicians, control media platforms, and influence policies that move us closer to the divisive politics of our southern neighbour.”
But, Canada’s tech sector was founded upon the ideals of DEI, says the letter.
“Thousands of us — entrepreneurs, marketers, engineers, and support staff — have built Canada into the global tech leader it is today. We did this not by shutting people out, but by welcoming talent from every background,” it reads. “We must protect the Canadian values of equity, inclusion, and collective responsibility in our tech ecosystem.”
“The future of our industry—and our country—depends on defending what makes us different. We must reject efforts to erase diversity, dismantle inclusion, and undermine equity. We must not tolerate, platform, or profit from hate.”
The letter ends by urging Canadians to “up for equality and send a clear message: We do not support businesses that abandon these values.”
While the DEI backlash is “devastating”, Scotiabank’s VP of global inclusion believes a robust strategy can still spark lasting change.
Pushback against DEI
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen publicly decried Canada’s DEI programs and “wokeness” in a Feb. 18 X post, which was quickly followed by the company’s intention to sell its Canadian and French operations amid an 11% decline in revenue from 2023 to 2024."Email M&A@gamestop.com if you're interested in buying GameStop Canada or Micromania France," he said. "High taxes, Liberalism, Socialism, Progressivism, Wokeness and DEI included at no additional cost if you buy today!"
And recently the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) faced criticism after it fired the only worker who was solely dedicated to forwarded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Shopify’s shift away from DEI programs comes as US President Donald Trump has threatened American companies with “adverse consequences” for maintaining DEI programs. Trump also placed all federal employees in DEI offices on leave in a Jan. 21 executive order.
Several large American tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta have already rolled back DEI initiatives since Trump’s inauguration. The open letter urged the Canadian tech industry to resist following in their American counterparts’ footsteps.
Recently, the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) announced that it will now use the acronym “I&D” — standing for inclusion and diversity — and will exclude the “E” from its former “IE&D” framework.
