Black Canadian Public Servants have filed a complaint with the United Nations, alleging their civil rights have been violated.
The complaint by the Black Class Action Secretariat was sent to the UN Commission for Human Rights Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
It follows a class action lawsuit the same group filed against the Canadian Government accusing it of systemic racism, discrimination and employee exclusion.
Executive Director of the Secretariat, Nicholas Marcus Thompson said the complaint “details systemic and anti-Black racism in hiring and promotions within Canada’s Federal Public Service”.
“With this complaint, we are elevating Canada’s past failures and failure to act in the present to an international body,” Mr Thompson (pictured) said.
He said he hoped the UN Special Rapporteur would investigate the complaint and call on Canada to meet its international obligations to Black employees.
“We want a plan to be established to increase opportunities for Black women in the Government and develop specific targets for hiring and promoting Black workers,” Mr Thompson said.
Amnesty International has thrown its weight behind the complaint, noting that 70 per cent of the 1,500 employees who had joined the class action were Black women.
Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi called on the Government to establish a designated category under the Employment Equity Act for Black employees.
The Government has launched a task force to review the legislation.
President of the Treasury Board, Mona Fortier agreed that far too many Black Canadians still faced discrimination and hate.
“The Government is actively working to address harm and to create a diverse and inclusive Public Service free from harassment and discrimination,” Ms Fortier said.
“We have passed legislation, created support and development programs, and published disaggregated data, but we know there is still more to do.”
Ottawa, 1 October 2022
