A Federal Court hearing began on Monday to decide whether a group of Black public servants can move forward with a class-action lawsuit that accuses the federal government of discrimination.
The certification hearing, held in Toronto, is expected to last up to 12 days.
The class-action lawsuit represents around 45,000 federal employees dating back to 1970, who are collectively seeking $2.5 billion in damages for lost wages and pensions.
“Today, we are escalating tactics,” said Nicholas Marcus Thompson, CEO of the Black Class Action Secretariat, speaking outside the courthouse. “State-sponsored discrimination is not acceptable.”
The plaintiffs allege extensive discrimination within the public sector, pointing to findings of anti-Black racism reported by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and documented in an internal report at the Privy Council Office.
