Concordia student association agrees to mediation in "Mei-Ling" case

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A Concordia University student association has agreed to take part in a mediation process offered by the Quebec Human Rights Commission to attempt to settle out of court a complaint of sexism and racism by a former executive member.

In April, the Montreal Gazette reported that Mei-Ling — a pseudonym for a former executive member of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations — had filed a complaint to the commission claiming she had been subjected to systematic sexist and racist treatment in the ASFA offices during her 2013-2014 mandate.

Her complaint accused two former executives of race- and gender-based discrimination and harassment, and the ASFA of doing nothing to intervene.

Mei-Ling said she endured sexist and racist comments and jokes, isolation and unfair treatment all year. But when she read a Facebook chat, left open on a common computer in the ASFA offices, between the two former executives, referring to her as a “whore” and a “chink slave” among other offensive remarks, she decided to go to the university administration for help. When that proved futile, she said, she filed a complaint with the commission.

The Center for Research-Action on Race Relations is acting as the complainant for Mei-Ling before the human rights commission. On Mei-Ling’s behalf, CRARR is seeking $7,000 in moral damages and $3,000 in punitive damages from each of the three respondents (the two men and ASFA).

“This is a positive development because it allows for the possibility of an earlier settlement,” said Fo Niemi, executive director of CRARR.

CRARR has requested the commission order ASFA to require its executive members to take mandatory sensitivity training on issues of race, gender and other civil rights, and to create a task force to develop ways to combat and prevent racism, sexism and sexual violence at Concordia.

“I welcome this news from the new leadership at ASFA,” Mei-Ling told the Gazette on Thursday, just after she learned ASFA had agreed to mediation. “I have faith that they will … move toward making changes … to create a less toxic work environment for everyone. I hope no one ever has to go through what I went through.”

ASFA had a deadline of Thursday this week to decide whether to go to mediation or to let the case be decided by a Human Rights Tribunal following investigation. The council voted at a special meeting on Wednesday to participate in the mediation process.

Mei-Ling’s complaint against the two former ASFA executives will now be referred to an investigator at the human rights commission. Mei-Ling was not willing to enter into a mediation process in their cases.

“In their cases, it is moving forward and I would like to see that through to the end,” she said.

mlalonde@montrealgazette.com