CANADA
Two former employees of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) say their complaints of systemic racism and discrimination were ignored, disbelieved or met with reprisals, ultimately leading to them being suspended or forced from the workplace.
Jean-Marie Dixon (pictured) and Hentrose Nelson are suing the Canadian Provincial Government and their unions for allowing an organisational culture that “fosters racism, dysfunction, discrimination, harassment, racial bullying, and abuse of authority and power”.
They allege that “anti-black racism, and racism in general, along with white privilege and white supremacy, are pervasive and entrenched within the OPS”.
They further allege that despite ongoing efforts to seek help from senior management, “black and racialised employees, particularly black women, continue to be subjected to individual, systemic, and institutional racial discrimination and racial harassment”.
The pair said their union failed to adequately represent them because they were influenced by the same “culture of systemic and institutional anti-black racism”.
The pair’s legal action comes one year after they organised a meeting between several OPS employees and Government officials that triggered a temporary halt on the suspension of racialised employees — a moratorium that was quietly lifted in July.
Ms Dixon and Ms Nelson allege their many attempts to seek justice — including through their unions, internal workplace processes and the human rights tribunal — had been ineffective, so their only viable recourse was through the courts.
“It’s been very, very traumatic,” Ms Dixon said.
“When you’ve worked so hard, as I’ve worked — I put myself through school, I got here on my own and on my own merit — and someone can take that from you.”
Ms Nelson said no dollar amount could fix the irreparable damage.
“I think about how my life has been altered; I can’t get it back,” Ms Nelson said.
Government spokesperson, Craig Sumi declined to comment on a matter subject to legal action but said ending systemic racism was a top priority.
Toronto, 16 March 2019
