Black civil servants suing federal government say budget falls short on mental health supports

A group of Black federal workers behind a proposed $2.5-billion class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination by the federal governmentsays they're disappointed in mental health measures included in last week's budget.

Last Thursday, Finance Minister Chrystia Freelandpromised$3.7 millionover four years forBlack-led "engagement, design, and implementation" of a mental health fund.Karen Marie Dickson and hergroup Black Class Action Secretariat (BCAS) calledfor $100 million for a similar fund last year.

"There has to be trauma-informed care, there has to be culturally-competent care and there has to berace-based data collected onmental health care for Black federal workers," the former assistant crown attorney said.

"And $3.7 million does not pay for all of that."

Dickson, 53, told CBC Newsshe was coerced into quitting her job in 2006 after facing targeted attacks from management for advocating for racialized workers in the workplace.After losing her job, she says she eventually became homeless.

Years later, Dickson saysshe's still recovering from trauma she never would have experienced if she wasn't Black.

She allegestheharassment startedin 2005when she took time off to mourn the loss ofa grandparent and was told she'd have to undergopsychiatric teststo re-enter the office.

"This was not like a psychologist or something like that. This was a psychiatric assessment that this manager wanted in order for me to resume my job," Dickson said.

"If I were a white employee, I would have been referred to employee assistance."

That,in part,iswhat ledDickson to joinBCAS, the non-profit that launched thelawsuit against the federal government in 2020over alleged discriminatory hiring and promoting. The allegations in the suit have not been tested in court. It is scheduled for a certification hearing in September.

Feds plan to stay parts of lawsuit, group says

But on Monday,BCASlearned the federal government plans to file a formal motion to stay parts of that suit, allegingoverlap with other cases.BCAS spokesperson Nicholas Marcus Thompsonsaysit's hypocritical of the governmentto challenge their claim rightafteracknowledging the state ofmental health forBlack workers is worrisome.

"When it comes to overlap, the only thing consistent with this government is their willingness to silence individuals who they have discriminated against," said Thompson, adding the group wasn't meaningfully consulted before last week's federalbudget.

CBC News asked the federal governmentfor comment on the issue but has not yet receiveda response.

What do workers do now? Can they put their trauma on hold?- Nicholas Marcus Thompson

Theidea for a mental health fundcame after Black federal workers launched a lawsuit against Ottawa, said Thompson, who's also the lead plaintiff in the suit.After news of the suit emerged, he said, Black workers came out in droves to share stories of the discrimination and trauma they faced.

Dickson was one of them.

On top of being forced to quit her job,she says, she got promoted only oncewhile white colleagues moved through the ranks despite working for the Department of Justice for over eight years.

The latest available figures from Statistics Canada showBlack peoplemake upabout 3.5 per cent of the federal public workforce. However, advocates say Black peoplereport an above-average level of harassment and discrimination and are over-represented in the lower ranks of the civilservice.

"We've done the research. We've done consultation. We have the experts. And now the government is saying, 'We're going to take four years, we're going to study this issue,'" said Thompson, who is also the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.

"But we don't have that time."

While it's encouraging that the government is showing some initiative to address the problem after promising to do so in its 2021 election campaign, Thompson says the funds earmarked inthe four-year timeline will leave workers waiting for change that could betaking place now.

"We've seen how quickly the government can act when it faces a crisis like the pandemic or global conflict," said Thompson.

"The government's response of $3.7 million over four years does not meet the priority and urgency of this crisis. What do workers do now? Can they put their trauma on hold?"

Discrimination 'nothing new,' union leader says

About 1,500 Black workers have stepped forwardto be part of the class action. But Thompsonsaysabout 30,000 Black employees dating back to 1970 will automatically be includedif it goes ahead.

Jennifer Carr, the president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, says it's been a reality for years that Black, Indigenous and racialized groups experiencesystematic barriers aroundharassment, recruitment and retention, education and training, and the needto address past wrongs.

Carr says the institute is "fully supportive" of the class action lawsuit.

"The discrimination, the racism and the lack of timely and effective actions are nothing new for many of the the federal Black employees that we represent," said Carr, adding the measures in the budget dolittle to curb their skepticism.

"It's a start, but it's definitely not enough. There's a lot more of the systemic issues that we need to address."

Thompson says BCASis in the processof working with racial trauma experts, Black mental health organizations and other social support groups to create a mental health plan that ithopes to present to the government and have implemented within the next six to 12 months.

"We want to work with the governmentand workers feel a sense of cautious relief that this is a start," said Thompson.

"But it's not going to get us to creating this plan. Workers need help nowand can't wait for years."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.