City employee in Markham on leave after N-word allegedly used in presentation to students
An employee at the City of Markham has been placed on leave after allegedly using the N-word during a presentation at George Brown College on Wednesday.
The news comes after the college confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday night, calling it “harmful” and “disheartening.”
In an email, the city said the language was used in a case study presentation on an arbitration decision delivered to students.
“The City of Markham was recently made aware of a troubling incident involving the use of racist language by a staff member,” Spokesperson Bryan Frois said in an email.
Frois said the staff member has been placed on administrative leave and a third-party investigator has been called in “to review the situation and provide recommendations.”
“The City of Markham is committed to supporting diverse communities, and we stand firmly against all forms of hate, racism and discrimination,” Frois said.
George Brown College President Gervan Fearon said in a statement Thursday that the college’s Office of Anti-Racism, Equity and Human Rights (OAREHRS) has launched its own formal investigation “to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to address this issue and prevent this from occurring in the future.”
“This incident is harmful and can be a traumatizing experience for many of our students,” Fearon said. “We are connecting directly with the students from the class to provide any and all supports necessary.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.