The board of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) has apologised unreservedly after an independent review found “pervasive and systemic racism” within the organisation.
The museum's response to the damning findings will be overseen by a new director, human rights lawyer Isha Khan, whose appointment was announced today by the Canadian government following a months-long selection process.
The report, by Winnipeg lawyer Laurelle Harris, says the museum’s policies and employment practices, as well as actions from its employees, have “contributed to maintaining racism as a system of inequality”. It says black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) employees have been “adversely impacted physically, emotionally and financially” by their experiences within the institution.
The report also finds that “heterosexism is present throughout the organisation” and says there are indications that sexual harassment complaints made by black women before 2016 may not have been adequately investigated or addressed.
The museum’s board of trustees has welcomed the review’s findings and promised to overhaul its workplace culture.
“It is clear many people have been adversely impacted by racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination within the museum, and we apologise unreservedly,” said the institution’s chair and interim chief executive Pauline Rafferty. “We are taking immediate and decisive action to build an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory workplace.”
Rafferty said that Khan had "the personal and professional experience to lead the organisation through the necessary changes that are now underway".
She said the new director would work with trustees to "ensure this important national museum meets the highest standards for inclusion, diversity and respect".
The review follows widespread accusations of racism at the museum that emerged on social media amid the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd in May.
Alongside this, accusations that the museum had censored LGBT+ content from some schools were reported in the Canadian media, prompting a formal apology. During the crisis, the museum’s former president John Young announced he would not seek reappointment when his current term ends on 14 August.
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The report says that the #CMHRStopLying hashtag, which was used to make accusations of racism, was “the result of the museum’s refusal, over the course of years, to acknowledge the existence of racism within the institution”.
The document includes many reported examples of racist practices and incidents at the museum. It says several indigenous programme interpreters left their jobs after experiencing racism from the public, including one who was laughed at when singing a traditional song on a hand drum. It says the museum took no action after receiving reports of such incidents, which occurred regularly.
In another incident, a white employee reported being reprimanded for reading the anti-racist book, Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, by a manager who was “personally offended”.
According to the report, several employees who raised concerns about racism or unfairness said their employment was threatened by one manager “who would advise them ‘maybe this job isn’t the right fit for you’”.
The effects of racism on staff included developing or exacerbating mental health issues, damage to self-esteem, and financial losses.
Harris’ report also criticises many of the museum’s employment practices. It finds that a disproportionate number of indigenous people and visible minorities had been released from employment during their employment period.
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And while friends and family members of white employees were “routinely hired” by the museum, bilingual friends or relatives of black employees were never contacted after applying for positions, says the document.
The review finds fault with the museum’s respectful workplace policy because it encourages aggrieved people to initially try to work out the problem with the person who has not behaved respectfully. “This policy presupposes that all employees have equal power in the workplace. They do not,” it says.
The review also found that LGBTQ+ content had been omitted from school tours on at least seven occasions before 2017, but says this practice was not endorsed by executive management.
It said two former employees who identify as LGBTQ+ felt they faced discrimination based on their sexual orientation. Harris also received reports of sexism and said these issues required further investigation to determine whether they indicated a systemic pattern of behaviour.
Recommendations
Based on the report’s evidence, Harris makes 44 recommendations concerning the Canadian government, the museum’s board and management, and policies and practices at the museum.
The report recommends that the government should endeavour to appoint a new director from a BIPOC community and ensure that the board of trustees always has at least one black person, one indigenous person, and one member of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as members of other equity groups protected by Canadian law.
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The museum’s board has accepted Harris’ five recommendations that relate to it. These include requiring the museum’s new diversity and inclusion committee to include at least one black person, one indigenous person, and one person identifying as LGBTQ+. The recommendations also mean trustees will undergo anti-racist and anti-oppression education, and set goals for the chief executive to promote a culture of equity.
In addition, the museum’s board and leadership will carry out other actions including reviewing the museum's five-year strategic plan to prioritise diversity and inclusion, and launching mandatory sexual harassment training for all managers, staff and volunteers.
Julie Jai, the trustee who leads the diversity and inclusion committee, said: "We have an opportunity to transform the museum into a workplace that practices anti-racism and rejects all forms of oppression, including sexism, heterosexism, homophobia and transphobia. With sustained effort, the museum will emerge much stronger for it.”
Following this report investigating immediate concerns raised by current and former employees, Harris will now carry out a more comprehensive review to provide a framework for long-term action.
Khan's initial focus will be on ensuring the CMHR fully reflects human rights values. "I am committed to leading the hard work ahead that will ensure the museum is a diverse and welcoming workplace for all its employees," said the new director. "The CMHR has great potential to become a strong and effective national voice for human rights education and action".
Her previous work in human rights includes almost a decade as executive director and senior counsel of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, which involved educating the public about human rights and promoting systemic change.
10.08.2020
The article was updated to include news of Isha Khan's appointment.
