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CONCORDIA STUDENT'S RACISM AND SEXISM COMPLAINT TO GO TO MEDIATION



Montreal, August 14, 2015 — The complaint filed by CRARR on behalf of “Mei Ling”, the biracial student and former executive of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) who was exposed to racial and sexual discrimination and harassment by other male executives, will go the mediation before the Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission in the Fall.

Last March, CRARR files a complaint against the two male executives and ASFA, for repeatedly subjecting Mei Ling to offensive racist, misogynistic slurs, sexually graphic insults, degrading sexual imagery and sexual violence, in their conversations which were accessible to other executive members. In addition, Mei Ling was exposed to treatments of other executive members that had the effect of violating her right to equality without discrimination based race and gender.

The case created a storm of controversies and strong reactions on campus, leading the University's President to ask for an internal review of procedures to protect students from such treatments. MeiLing sought help from the Dean of Students but was told that the conservations, which were on Facebook, were private.

CRARR is claiming for Mei Ling $10,000 in moral and punitive damages from ASFA, and an equal amount from each of the two male executives. She has agreed to go to mediation to resolve the complaint against ASFA, but requested the Commission to investigate her complaint against the two male executives with the view to eventually bring the case to the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal.

Also sought are mandatory training of ASFA executives for the next two years and the establishment of Task Force by ASFA to seek ways and means to prevent and combat race and gender-based discrimination and harassment.