(Ottawa) A recently released internal report by the federal public service indicates that Black and racialized employees at the Privy Council Office have reported racial stereotyping, microaggressions and other forms of discrimination against them in the workplace.
The Coalition Against Workplace Discrimination obtained the report using the Access to Information Act.
The document details the barriers faced by employees of colour in the Privy Council Office, the administrative arm of government that serves the Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The report cites examples of black staff who were denied opportunities afforded to white colleagues. It also cites other officials who said they had to intervene with managers who used the “n-word” in their presence.
The findings are based on focus group discussions and interviews with staff members in 2021 and 2022.
The coalition says the government has tried to implement the report’s recommendations but has not gone far enough to address the worrying findings.