Ottawa, December 10th, 2025 – The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC), representing more than 3,500 federal lawyers and prosecutors, has filed a systemic human rights complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) to address the systemic discrimination and career barriers faced by our Black members in the federal public service.

The AJC’s complaint outlines a pattern of systemic anti-Black racism across federal legal workplaces, beginning with the reality that Black legal professionals face daily exposure to racist comments, microaggressions, stereotyping, social exclusion, and demeaning conduct. Many report their concerns being dismissed as “part of the job”, while experiencing harsher discipline and disproportionate scrutiny compared to non-Black colleagues. The recently imposed directive mandating 60% in-person attendance has only intensified these harms by increasing exposure to on-site microaggressions and hostility. 

These recurring experiences of racism point to a broader systemic problem: deeply entrenched structural barriers to career advancement, including biased staffing practices, arbitrary performance reviews, inequitable access to training and mentorship, and the suspension of the LP-01 Development and Training Program—an initiative that was essential for early-career lawyers and the subject of more than 240 grievances filed by AJC members. These barriers have resulted in the widespread underrepresentation of Black AJC members, particularly in higher-level roles.  

 

“Several of my Black colleagues have spoken to me informally about the challenges they face as public servants. Some have been made to feel unwelcome or unworthy of promotion. Others reported hearing racist comments in the workplace, experiencing intimidation or harassment, or seeing their work ignored or minimized. These types of experiences are reflected in the complaint filed by the AJJ with the CHRC on behalf of Black members,” reports Bevin Cate Worton, Vice-President, Labour Relations. 

The cumulative impact of these systemic practices is profound and cannot be understated. Black AJC members disproportionately experience extensive and ongoing psychological, physical, and economic harm, including racial trauma, burnout, loss of income, and long-term impacts on career progression and pension. For those facing multiple intersections of marginalization, the impacts are even more devastating. 

The AJC firmly believes that recognition without action is meaningless. We are calling on the federal government to: 

    • End poisoned workplaces through effective mechanisms to prevent and address racist conduct. 

    • Remove structural barriers and ensure fair treatment and safe workplaces. 

    • Fix career stagnation by reforming biased staffing and expanding equitable opportunities. 

    • Strengthen accountability to prevent the reproduction of discriminatory practices. 

 

ABOUT THE AJC 

The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC) is the union defending Canada’s legal team. Our 3,500+ members are Federal Crown Counsel and articling students employed by the Government of Canada in the Department of Justice, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and in various federal agencies, tribunals and courts across Canada. 

MEDIA CONTACT 

The Communications Department 
Association of Justice Counsel 
300–2725 Queesview Drive 
Ottawa, ON, Canada 
K2B 0A1 

Phone: (613) 798-9900 
Toll-Free: (866) 218-3310 
Fax: (613) 564-0606 
Email: admin@ajc-ajj.ca 

 

 

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