Quebec: Black public servants come together
Jean Numa Goudou ·
Launch, on March 28th, of the Association des fonctionnaires noirs et afrodescendants (AFNA) at the Maison d'Haïti in Saint-Michel.
"Everything done without us, for us, is against us," recalled Rose-Andrée Hubbard at the launch, on March 28, of the Association des fonctionnaires noirs et afrodescendants (AFNA) at the Maison d'Haïti in Saint-Michel. A way of demanding greater representation for Black communities, particularly "at the decision-making table."
She is among the ten board members of this new organization, which aims to "bring together, support, and strengthen the presence of Black people" in the public and parapublic sectors in Québec and, more broadly, across Canada.
Having arrived from Haiti in Québec in 2002, Ms. Hubbard, who works in the public sector at the municipal level, recalls that at the time, she had to check with people before she could speak publicly about discrimination. According to her, significant progress has been made on the issue. But there are still steps to be taken. That is the view of AFNA's first president, Réal Lacombe.
"There are gaps, obstacles, and sometimes a sense of isolation in the public service. And yet the commitment is there, the talents, the skills are there. What was missing was coming together," said the president during his launch address.
The Data
As part of Black History Month, Québec published last February its roughly 90-page report on "RACISM IN QUÉBEC: ZERO TOLERANCE." This is a "Final Assessment of Progress and Achievements" from the Action Group Against Racism, created in December 2020. A total of 25 actions were recommended, 12 of which address the fight against racism.
About a dozen ministries and organizations (MOs) led actions to combat racism, and $180 million was invested in implementation.
According to the report:
• the representation rate across the entire public service for members of visible minorities was 16.1%, equivalent to 96.9% of the 2028 target;
• for management staff, it stood at 8.1%, exceeding the initial target, equivalent to 114.1% of the 2028 target.
According to the Observatoire des communautés noires
The study on "Representation of Black People in Public Organizations" conducted by the Observatoire des communautés noires takes into account the size of the Black population (422,405) and visible minorities (1,340,735) relative to the total population of the province of Québec (8,501,833), revealing an underrepresentation of this population in the public service.
"Our dignity is non-negotiable!"
AFNA's vice-president, Stella Larochelle, a nurse by profession and a unionist at heart, warns that the battle will not be easy. "Sometimes the goal is to discourage us, to wear us down," she said, before urging public servants whose rights have been violated to "not let it happen" and to stand in solidarity.
"Solidarity does not mean we will agree on everything, but there are common values we will agree on so that our children do not have to feel that fear in their stomachs before going to work," added Rose-Andrée Hubbard, who hosted the AFNA's public presentation.
"Our dignity is non-negotiable!" Ms. Hubbard repeated several times.
That is also the motto of Gino Clifford Libérice, a blue-collar worker from Montréal-Nord who, following the report by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) in June 2020, took part in a public denunciation of workplace discrimination he had experienced.
It is worth noting that a class action lawsuit was filed in 2021 against the City, a process that lasted four years. "We learned, we fought," he said. Mr. Libérice emphasizes "the importance of working together." "It is important to pool our resources, support one another, and act together — I invite you to join the movement," urged the union activist.
AFNA invites all Black people working in the public service to get in touch. Within a month, the organization aims to register one hundred members.
It plans to develop partnerships with other groups and organizations in order to equip its members in their pursuit of advancement and justice.
To contact AFNA by email and register: afna.qc@gmail.com