BY MICHAEL THOMAS
Current and former black public service employees have filed a lawsuit against the Canadian government. The lawsuit is claiming that systemic discriminatory barriers in hiring and promotional practices have kept them from reaching their full potential as workers here in Canada.
The claim, that has been filed in the Federal Court of Canada, contends that the federal government’s systemic practice of leaving black employees behind has contributed to economic and psychological hardship for thousands of employees dating back as far back as the 1970s.
In a press release Toronto lawyer and former Crown Attorney Courtney Betty said, “Black Canadians are overwhelmingly underrepresented in the upper echelons of the public service, we are asking the federal government to fulfill its legal obligations of equality as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights. This systemic practice of black employee exclusion has for decades turned the dreams of many black employees into a lifetime of pain and suffering.”
The lawsuit calls on the federal government to put in place a concrete plan blackclassaction.ca/diversity-plan to diversify the public service and empower black employees.
This claim also wants restitution for the nearly 30,000 black public service employees who have been beaten down by these racist systemic practices for decades.
“This practice of black employee exclusion has deprived black Canadians of opportunities, and fellow Canadians of the benefit of full black employee participation in service of their country,” said Toronto Employment and Human Rights lawyer Hugh Scher who is also representing the employees in this case.
Before this claim, the federal government acknowledged the issue of systemic racism across Canada and within government institutions.
Even though Prime Minister Trudeau said, “Canadians must now go back and reflect on the building blocks that elevated these organizations and examine whether they were built on a racist foundation,” it seems that those statements fell on deaf ears.
“Canada’s public service presents itself as a ‘merit-based, representative and non-partisan organization that serves all Canadians. While laudable as a principle, many Canadians, particularly black Canadians, have experienced a different reality,” the words of Chris Aylward, National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. “The government must do what is necessary to right these wrongs and ensure that these injustices do not continue.”
“Justice delayed is justice denied. There is never a convenient time to advocate for justice,” said plaintiff and retired RCMP Staff Sergeant Alain Babineau. “Black Canadians can no longer stand by silently and allow these systemic practices to continue. It is time to take meaningful action to end systemic discrimination and racism within the public service.”
Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with Attorney and former Crown Attorney Courtney Betty about this troubling practice. “There is a history,” Betty said, “going back at least fifty years where black public service workers have not been properly promoted and therefore lost out on compensation that they should have had, so we are asking the government to remedy that.”
“We are also asking the government to create a framework for the existing 15,000 black public service workers, to make sure that the past injustices are not repeated against them.”
Betty commended the workers for they bravery in bringing this issue forward and called what they did “a moment in time.”
His advice to all black workers around the country who have been mistreated, “Now is the time to speak up because there are thousands of other black workers who share your plight and would like to be able to support you in trying to achieve change.”
Betty Told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper that he joined the Department of Justice so that he can achieve some form of justice and equity for his community.
“In many ways,” he said, “what I saw was a lot of injustices especially when it came to immigrants from the Caribbean. The immigration policies were to deport many individuals from the Caribbean while other communities were essentially given a pass.”
The former Crown Attorney closed the interview by saying, “I think this is a unique opportunity for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to fulfill the vision of his father Pierre Elliot Trudeau who have laid the foundation for multiculturalism and how great we can be.”
For more information on this class action lawsuit please check the links below.
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