Although there have been many attempts to whitewash Canada’s racist history, white supremacy and anti-Black racism are deeply rooted in this country’s history, institutions, and culture.

The Canadian federal government is no exception – including in the Human Rights Commission Office – the very office which investigates human rights complaints on issues like racism and cultural or ethnicity-based discrimination. Unfortunately, while the Canadian federal government acknowledges that there is systemic anti-Black racism in the public service, they have spent over $10 million in taxpayer money fighting Black public service workers and denying them justice. If anti-Black racism is systemic, each individual’s experiences cannot be discounted as rare, isolated incidents of discrimination but part of a broader issue in the public service.

In October of 2024, a historic certification hearing began in Canada’s federal court to determine whether the Black Class Action lawsuit meets the legal criteria to represent a group of people collectively. Led by the Black Class Action Secretariat, the lawsuit seeks justice for Black employees who have faced discriminatory hiring and promotion practices while working in the Canadian government since 1970. Of the 45,000 plaintiffs, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is the certified bargaining agent for the largest contingent and is committed to ensuring they receive the justice they deserve for the decades of anti-Black racism they faced while working in the federal public service.

For the duration of the Black Class Action certification hearing, the plaintiffs’ lawyers argued that anti-Black racism is a systemic issue that is pervasive in the entire public service and the only avenue to justice is to do it as a collective. The rampant anti-Black racism in the public service means the plaintiffs of this case cannot rely on the traditional systems to achieve change and justice when those systems themselves are steeped in racism.

We know when Black workers win, workers from all marginalized identities benefit. It will be an uphill battle, but if they win, the federal government will be forced to address the issue with real, tangible solutions.

“We are deeply disappointed with the government’s chosen path to delay and deny justice to Black public service workers,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “For the past three weeks in court, the government’s lawyers have gaslit Black public service workers and questioned the validity and truth of their lived experiences even though by their own admission there is rampant anti-Black racism in the public service.”

PSAC has contributed $270,000 to support the Black Class Action Secretariat with legal fees, and public relations efforts and is committed to ensuring Black public service workers receive the reparations they deserve.