OTTAWA, August 1, 2024 – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), and Amnesty International joined the Black Class Action Secretariat and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists in a march from the Human Rights monument on Elgin Street in Ottawa to the offices of the Privy Council to demand accountability after damning reports detailing the persistent culture of anti-Black racism within their walls.
PCO employees describe, in a report accessed through the Access to Information Act, a workplace culture where racial stereotyping, microaggressions and verbal abuse were normalized, and the N-word used with impunity. Black, Indigenous, and racialized employees were also shut out of career-advancing opportunities and clustered in temporary and lower-level positions, compared to their white colleagues.
Emancipation Day marks the liberation of enslaved Indigenous and Black peoples in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. Black communities have celebrated Emancipation Day since the 1850s, but it was only officially designated in Canada in 2021.
The groups are calling for:
- The immediate resignation of Deputy Clerk Natalie Drouin, who was responsible for the discrimination file since 2021; and the resignation of Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Ministerial Services and Corporate Affairs, Matthew Shea.
- The appointment of a Black Equity Commissioner.
- The establishment of a department of African Canadian Affairs to centralize and prioritize anti-Black racism work.
- That Black Canadians be added as an employment equity group, as promised by the federal government.
QUOTES:
“On Emancipation Day, as we honor the resilience and triumphs of Black communities, we are also forced to confront the harsh reality that the chains of systemic racism still bind Black federal public service workers. The federal government’s failure to address these deep-seated issues is a betrayal of its own principles of justice and equality. Black workers are tired of empty promises and symbolic gestures—they demand concrete action, accountability, and the justice they rightfully deserve.” - Nicholas Marcus Thompson, President and CEO of the Black Class Action Secretariat.
“Emancipation Day is a time to reflect on the legacies of slavery in Canada and celebrate the strength and perseverance of Black and Indigenous communities who have endured decades of discrimination. But today, we are yet again faced with new allegations of anti-Black racism, this time in the highest civil office in Canada.” - Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President.
“The ongoing anti-Black racism in Canada’s public service constitutes a grave violation of multiple international laws, including the UDHR, ICCPR, and ICERD. This breach undermines global human rights commitments and equality principles, demanding immediate action to rectify these injustices and uphold fundamental human rights for all citizens.” - David Matsinhe, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Research at Amnesty International Canada’s English-speaking section.
“Abolition took place 190 years ago, but destructive ideas of White Supremacy and Black and Indigenous inferiority are still very much present in Canadian society and our institutions.“Systemic discrimination runs so deep in Canada’s public service that it can be found in every branch of the government. On Emancipation Day, we are taking a stand and telling the federal government, we will not stay quiet in the face of blatant racism.” - Nathan Prier, CAPE President.
“It is shameful that this government has yet to settle the Black Class Action lawsuit. We will continue to fight for employment equity in the workplace, recognition of Black workers in the legislation and an end to discrimination and racism in all its forms, today and everyday.” - Yolanda McClean, CBTU President.
Media requests
CAPE Media Relations: lgauthier@acep-cape.ca, 613-261-6526
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