How Reports of Antiblack Racism Are Suppressed in Ontario

 

Link: Doug Ford Commemorates Black History Month Feb 2024

On February 4th, 2024 Doug Ford released the following statement

"Black History Month is also a time to renew our commitment to standing against discrimination and racism in order to ensure that Ontario’s Black community can succeed and thrive. That’s why our government is continuing to invest in programs that eliminate barriers, support Black entrepreneurs and address disparities facing Black youth."

On February 5th, 2024 Doug Ford's government told me it would be delaying my grievance about anti-black racism for the fourth (fifth?) time.

The optics suggest it is doing everything in it's power to avoid my case being heard. If Doug Ford truly wants to renew a commitment to standing against discrimination, why doesn't he deal with it INSIDE the civil service? Why is it actively suppressing reports of anti black racism if it wants to end systemic racism?

Context

I experienced anti black racism in the Windsor office of ODSP for many years. Two black caseworkers disappeared from the office before me. No one knew why. One manager, Rachel Cohen-Kusmiercyzk, routinely sent me troublesome emails. I forwarded the emails to her manager, Melissa Kersey, who agreed the emails were troublesome. No action was taken.

Since no action was taken, I filed a report with the Workplace Discrimination & Harassment Prevention (WDHP). My report was altered after I signed it. Multiple times. When I brought this to the attention of leadership in May 2022, they attempted to suspend me. Since I was well at the time, I was able to fight back.

In December 2022, while very sick with Covid and going through a divorce, I had a weak moment. I became suicidal. During that time, I was fired without cause and without notice. I am still unsure as to why I was fired.  The termination letter referenced events that occurred AFTER my termination.

No severance was given in December 2022. I was it was withheld because I would likely be getting my job back at the grievance date scheduled for  January 2023.

How did I get a grievance date so quickly? I didn't. The grievance date had been set for about a year. The timing of my firing seems suspicious.

In December 2022, I was told he grievance would be completed within a few days in January. In January that was changed to May. In May, it was changed to September. 

In September, we firmly set down two dates in February where the arbitrator would finally look at the evidence and determine if I was fired for cause. I just learned a few hours ago, the dates have been changed to June 2024. No reason for the change. That is the FIRST DATE. It is expected to last another year after that?

The Ford government has also ignored the rules of disclosure. The arbitrator requested all documents related to the grievance be submitted by November 30, 2023. As of this date, the employer has disregarded this request. They "forgot" to include my employee file, my performance appraisals, and all documents related by my allegations of racism at the hands of Rachel Cohen-Kusmiercyzk. The files they did forward were corrupted and unreadable.

If Doug Ford truly wants to eradicate systemic racism, these actions are the opposite of what he should be doing. Ignoring the rule of law is especially dangerous if the person ignoring the law is the person making the laws.

Next Steps

I am moving forward. Date is scheduled for June 2024, but I have no reason to believe that date will be held. There was no reason for the change. My case is super clear. Cut and dry. I was being groomed for leadership, recently placed as co-lead of an organization focused on training future leaders. Then I asked them to stop harassing me. I was fired within days despite my strong work history.

Everyone who looks at the case knows mistakes were made. No one wants to fix them. I've come to realize that the "mistakes" are there by design, a design that counts on the naivety and trust of black workers more than the rule of law.

Episode three of Alien Brain Fog deals with the rule of Law. It will be released this week.