Black Canadian officials accuse federal government of racism in UN complaint – National

A group of black civil servants files a complaint with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights accusing the federal government of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Amnesty International Canada support this latest action by workers who filed a class action lawsuit against the federal government in 2020 alleging systemic discrimination in the way it hires and promotes public servants.

The lawsuit filed in federal court on behalf of more than 45,000 black public servants alleges they have lost « opportunities and benefits afforded to others based on their race » since the 1970s.

The statement says the lawsuit seeks damages to compensate black public servants for the mental and economic hardship they faced.

Workers are also calling for a plan to finally diversify the federal workforce and remove barriers that even employment equity laws have failed to remove.

They say the decision to take the matter to the international human rights body is because the federal government is deliberately creating delays in the court process.