When word leaked out this week that a group of black
firefighters had filed a complaint against the Halifax fire department
with the Human Rights Commission, fire chief Bill Mosher tried to frame
the issue as an overreaction by two unduly sensitive employees.
“We had met with [black firefighters] and came up with an action
plan,” Mosher told the Chronicle-Herald. “But a couple on the
group weren’t happy with the progress we were making, so they decided
to take their complaint to the rights commission… As any organization
would have, you have differences of opinion. I have a difference of
opinion with my family sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you’re a
racist. Sometimes things are taken out of context.”
But the black firefighters, who take collective action through a
voting organization known as the Halifax Association of Black Fire
Fighters, allege a workplace context of continuing racism over many
years. The allegations, which are set forth in a series of documents
provided to The Coast, include:
• repeated use of the “N” word among fire department personnel
and, in one case, used to describe a black person involved in an
accident responded to by firefighters;
• a firefighting training program where black recruits “were
subjected to racism, unprofessional conduct and humiliation at the
hands of fire school instructors”;
• the assignment of a new black firefighter for on-the-job
training to a fire captain who had previously been demoted in rank due
to covering up racist behaviour;
• the distribution of a racist newsletter in fire stations
throughout the HRM;
• a pay decrease for employees who had taken part in a
special recruitment program for black firefighters, while white
firefighters received a pay increase.
Of even greater concern than those specific incidents, say black
firefighters, is a tepid and inconsequential response to the incidents
on the part of fire department management. (Citing fear of reprisal
from management, black firefighters interviewed for this article asked
that their names not be used.)
Fire department management did investigate several of the
allegations, but “These investigations have gone nowhere,” reads the
preamble to The Struggle for Acceptance: The Black Experience in
Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, a 15-page document with
supporting evidence that was presented to the Human Rights Commission
by the Halifax Association of Black Fire Fighters.
“The results [of the investigations] have not been published, there
has not been any follow up and this leaves us with no closure,”
continues The Struggle. “As a result, we are left to question
both the integrity and sincerity of these or any future
investigations.”
The Struggle was presented to the Human Rights Commission in
2007. Rather than start its own investigation, the commission offered
to act as mediator between black firefighters and the city. The HABFF
accepted the offer—“they told us we could go along and cooperate with
HRM’s investigation, that it would only show that the HABFF was trying
all options to resolve issues,” explains one black firefighter.
HRM in turn paid Maureen Shebib $40,000 to conduct an independent
investigation of the allegations contained in The Struggle.
Shebib is the former legal counsel to the Human Rights Commission and
now the equity advisory at St. Francis Xavier University.
As black firefighters explain, they met with Shebib, who assured
them her final report would be delivered to both the HABFF and the HRM
at the same time. With that assurance, they cooperated with her
investigation, providing lengthy interviews and detailed documentation
of their allegations. On April 27, 2008, Shebib’s report was provided
to HRM, but only two weeks later was it delivered to the HABFF. Their
copy of the Shebib Report was heavily censored, with many names
omitted.
“I’m sorry, I’m not taking any questions on that,” says Shebib over
the phone from Antigonish. “Under no circumstances am I discussing that
report.” Pressed for details, she quickly hangs up.
“Once we got [Shebib’s] findings, we decided as a group that this
did not address our issues and provide the closure that our members
needed, so we formalized our complaint with the HRC,” says a HABFF
member. That formal human rights complaint was filed on June 26,
2008.
The black experience
As the documents we obtained explain, black firefighters have always
been a rare sight in HRM, and racist attitudes have been a feature of
their employment from the start. Soon after amalgamation in 1996,
explains a 2002 letter sent to a city councillor, a now-retired
district chief told a white lieutenant that “I’m sorry for having to
post you on a truck with two blacks.” A year later, continues the
letter, several firefighters were watching a boxing match on TV; “get
the fucking [n-word]!” one yelled at the screen.
Many other similar incidents are detailed in the documents, but
perhaps the most egregious—because it involves a civilian—occurred
on March 23, 2002. As alleged in another letter, sent on July 14, 2002
to mayor Peter Kelly and then-CAO George McLellan, fire engine 14
responded to a traffic accident involving a black person. One white
firefighter repeatedly referred to the civilian with the n-word,
causing an argument between firefighters. All the while, claims the
letter, the officer at the scene, captain Jim Benoit, laughed at the
situation and refused to reprimand the man under his command who used
the racial epithet.
Later that year, according to The Struggle, Benoit was
involved in two other race-tinged complaints. Traditionally, because
they are receiving extra pay, firefighters who are assigned to overtime
are asked to buy pizza for the rest of the station crew. But as alleged
in several documents, in two separate incidents when black firefighters
Blair Cromwell and Jeff Paris were awarded overtime, the pizza request
was changed to chicken. In context, say the documents, the incidents
had racial overtones, with crew members and Benoit laughing while
suggesting chicken for the meal.
Cromwell felt his complaints were going nowhere, and wrote the
letter to mayor Peter Kelly and at least some councillors. (Some
councillors contacted for this story say they never received that
letter, and were unaware of the complaints in the fire department until
a secret council meeting was scheduled this week to discuss it.)
After an investigation conducted by Dunphy & Associates, a local
human resources consultant, then-fire chief Mike Eddy demoted Benoit.
Eddy was later asked about the incidents during Maureen Shebib’s
investigation. As he explains it to The Coast, Eddy felt he was being
railroaded by current fire department management.
Eddy describes Shebib saying, “You took action on this Jim Benoit
thing—laughing at this comment—but only after it was coming out and
people were hearing about it.”
“Well,” says Eddy, “I said [to Shebib], ‘that’s when I heard about
it. You want to put me on a polygraph? Put me on a polygraph and I’ll
say the same answer.’ When I heard about it I said, ‘get that piece of
shit out of here.'”
Benoit was given a one-year demotion, which was later shortened to
10 months, says Eddy. Shebib’s report says that demotion was for the
incident on the fire engine.
Benoit could not be reached for comment; a relative who answered the
phone at his house said he is on vacation in Cuba.
Soon after these incidents, Eddy worked with the six black
firefighters then on the force and the YMCA Enterprise Centre of
Halifax to develop a recruitment program geared toward African-Nova
Scotians. That effort resulted, in 2004, with the recruitment of 13
black men into a “designated class;” those men were given some
financial assistance to attend the Nova Scotia Firefighters School in
Waverley.
“That piece of it was my own thing,” says Eddy. “Look, if this is
going to work, let’s just do it. So I told the HR people, bring in some
of the community people, people from the black community—the people
who would know what we need to do to be out there and say, look, these
jobs are available, they are open—what the hell do we need to do to
get out there and have a large number of people come forward?”
As Eddy explains it, the designated class was to be the first of
three targeted recruitment drives, to be followed by efforts to recruit
women and aboriginals. The recruitment program for women proceeded just
after Eddy left the force in 2006, but the program for aboriginals
never materialized.
Eddy bristles at suggestions the designated class somehow
constituted reverse discrimination.
“Everybody that was on a list for HRM fire while I was there was
hired,” he says. “If you were white, blue, purple, grey, and you made
it through our process—the bars were not raised more for one than for
another, or lowered for one or another, they were the same—any person
that was on a list got on the job—everyone. Not one person who made
the grade was refused a job. I felt good about the fact that we never
left white guys, if you will, sitting there, ‘my god, I didn’t get a
job but all these black guys got hired.’ We hired everybody.”
That said, the new black recruits were promised one thing upon
graduation: a posting to one of the coveted “core” fire stations on the
peninsula or Dartmouth. These stations are considered a plum assignment
by new recruits because they are busier and generally more interesting,
but Eddy’s reasoning was pragmatic.
“We brought them in as role models; we brought them in to show the
black community that these jobs are not just white male jobs, that you
can come in here,” he says. “[To put them in a rural station] where
there’s only two people working twice a week in a fire station that
only gets 25 calls a year, what kind of spinoff benefits am I getting
in showing a community and a bunch of young people that these jobs are
available? You’re better off to advertise in downtown Halifax and
downtown Dartmouth—areas where there are black communities—not in
areas where there aren’t any blacks that are impressionable. There’s a
reason for this—you never have to go out and do a special recruiting
again. It perpetuates itself.”
Fire school
While the recruitment of blacks was a success, the designated class
faced problems even before its members graduated into department
employees.
The Struggle and Shebib’s report detail a number of problems
involving the Fire School, which is a private institution but whose
board of directors consists mainly of managers from public fire
departments around the province.
According to Shebib’s report, before the designated class started,
HRM diversity coordinator Charla Williams and Donny Fairfax, with the
YMCA Enterprise Centre of Halifax, were brought to the school for
diversity training of school staff. They had asked for a three-day
training period, but were given only half a day. Shebib reports that
both Williams and Fairfax had “concerns about some of the staff.
Fairfax stated that…’one person at the School was totally
condescending and inappropriate.'” Williams’ and Fairfax’s concerns
about the school were echoed to Shebib in interviews with HRM
firefighters Nadya Pare and Kevin Reade, who are the department’s
diversity trainers.
According to The Struggle, the designated class experienced
on-going racism. For example, when a group of black recruits entered
the school an instructor commented loudly enough for them to hear,
“There goes the neighbourbood.” Another instructor told a dark-skinned
Somali-Canadian student to “smile, I can’t see you.” The same
instructor regularly referred to one black student as a “hooligan” and
as “stupid.”
On graduation day, says The Struggle, two black students were
pulled aside and told they had failed one of the tests required of
graduation; the students considered the late notice as a form of public
humiliation.
But Shebib’s report finds that the school’s records, including test
results, were inconsistent, contradicted each other, included
impossible dates or were missing entirely—there was no clear record
that the students did in fact fail the test. “Such records as do exist
appear to contain a number of errors and may be completely unreliable,”
she writes.
The two “failed” students ultimately passed all the tests and now
serve as firefighters in good standing.
In perhaps the strongest finding in Shebib’s report, she recommends
that the fire department “re-examine its training options and its
relationship with the Fire School. We also recommend that [the Halifax
fire department] re-examine its partnership with the Certification
Board [which administers and grades the tests].”
Black firefighters acknowledge that the school is a private
institution, but say because its management is so intertwined with
public officials, and because the designated class was a program of the
Halifax fire department, department management should have been more
aware of the on-going problems at the school and should have extended
more assistance to the students.
The Blaze
The black firefighters coming out of the school were given an offer
of employment July 19, 2004, with a pay rate of $28,904 annually. That
rate, said the offer, “was subject to change with implementation of the
new collective agreement.”
Indeed, just 11 weeks later, the rate did change: The new union
contract saw total wages increase by 8.3 percent. But the new pay
scales were heavily weighted in favour of veteran firefighters, at the
expense of rookies; on October 2, 2004 the new rate for the designated
class was $27,590, a decrease of about $50 in their bi-weekly
paycheques.
“The decision to lower the base salary of new firefighters, employed
after June 1, 2004, took place during the bargaining process by
management and the union,” notes Shebib. “It is not clear why, after
the considerable effort expended on the Targeted Recruitment, this
decision was made.”
At the very least, says The Struggle, the upcoming new lower
pay rate should have been spelled out in the offer of employment.
While the pay issue raised some distrust among black recruits, that
distrust was matched by considerable ill will directed at them. The
documents make passing reference to resentment of black students at the
school, but after the students became official firefighters and were
assigned to fire stations in the urban core, that resentment flowered
into full-bloomed racism.
As related in The Struggle, one black student who had been
singled out for ridicule at the school and who was told, on graduation
day, that he had failed a required test was subsequently assigned to
on-the-job training with captain Benoit, who according to Eddy had
previously been disciplined for not taking action against the use of
the n-word by a firefighter in his charge. The Struggle makes
much of this firefighter being assigned to Benoit—the incident is the
subject of an entire chapter—but Shebib ignores it in her report.
On December 11, 2005, the n-word was found scrawled across a poster
in the washroom at Station 9 in Sackville, where two black firefighters
were assigned.
Then, in January 2006 an online newsletter titled The Blaze was emailed to firefighters, and hard copies were left in HRM fire
stations. The anonymously written newsletter was a cantankerous
document that broadly attacked both department management and the
union, as well as individual firefighters by name, and then proceeded
to “welcome” new white recruits via an attack on the designated
class of black firefighters. It read:
Congratulations men, and welcome to your new career. We hope you
enjoy your new job choice in the Fire Service heaven. If you seem a bit
bitter over your first station assignments, just remember, you are not
members of a targeted recruitment and therefore there is no political
reason for you to be visible. Targeted recruits cannot go to the outer
regions because they certainly would not be very visible where you boys
are going! Just shut up, be happy you got a damn job and, run your
white little asses out there and be glad they are paying you. Don’t
expect any female company out there anytime soon either. They need to
be visible too. Oh yea, make sure you pay your Union dues. Nuff
said.
As The Struggle explains, black firefighters understandably
regarded The Blaze as a vehicle designed to “incite hatred and
contempt against black firefighters.”
The union condemned the newsletter, and Eddy began an investigation,
but at no point did he issue a statement of condemnation from
department management. Much is made of this failure in Shebib’s report:
“When asked why [no management statement was issued], Deputy Chief
Director Steve Thurber stated: ‘I can’t answer that. Mike was asked on
more than one occasion… [but] nothing. I’m still mystified.'” For his
part, the current fire chief, Bill Mosher, told Shebib that “it would
have been Eddy’s call.”
But as Eddy tells it, his investigation into the incident bore fruit
just as he was leaving his job in October, 2006. “Probably the week
before I left the job, deputy Steve Thurber called me into his office
to say we found out who the author was. I said, ‘well, let’s take
action,’ because this was not the first time this name came across the
desk.”
Eddy won’t say how he knows, but says the newsletter was sent from
an IP address that was traced back to Benoit’s home address. Eddy says
he wanted to fire Benoit then and there, but was stymied by HRM’s legal
department. Still, he subsequently gave that information to his
successor, Mosher, who has likewise done nothing.
Regime change
Eddy says his retirement gave effective power in the department to
Thurber.
“Bill Mosher might be chief, in the fact he wears the five stripes,”
says Eddy. “But many of the actions that are happening would be the
intent and the way forward that Steve [Thurber] would want to see,
based on my observation when I was there.”
The two administrations point at each other as the cause of poor
relations with black firefighters. Eddy blames Mosher and Thurber for
not following through with The Blaze investigation and for
abandoning the designated recruitment process. Although he refused to
talk with The Coast, Mosher told other reporters “the issues that the
black firefighters have filed with us are all issues that happened back
when [Eddy] was the chief.”
It’s true that, as outlined in The Struggle, specific
incidents of use of the n-word, the problems at the fire school, the
distribution of the racist newsletter and other problems between
individual white and black firefighters all occurred under Eddy’s
watch. And the documents show that throughout Eddy’s administration
black firefighters were repeatedly frustrated at the slow pace of
investigations and their inconclusive results—it was eight months,
for example, before Eddy says he learned the identity of The
Blaze author.
But despite problems at the school and the subsequent poor reception
given black recruits, Eddy is credited with greatly expanding the ranks
of black firefighters—from six to 19—by creating the designated
class program. Under Mosher’s watch the targeted recruitment program
has been scuttled, and just one additional black firefighter has joined
the force.
Black firefighters interviewed for this article stress they
generally have no problems with the white firefighters working beside
them. Rather, their anger is directed at what they say is institutional
indifference and the systematic failure of Mosher’s administration to
take their concerns seriously. Equally important, they say, is the
abandonment of the designated recruitment program.
Rural postings
Documents collected with The Struggle, and verified in
Shebib’s report, detail Eddy’s promises to the black recruits that they
would be posted to core stations. That promise, however, was not
reflected in the union contract, and after Eddy’s departure, black
firefighters were told they would now be posted to rural stations.
During the course of Shebib’s investigation, however, Mosher
abruptly changed that policy. “We were told on December 10, 2007 that
the issue had been resolved and those hired under the targeted
recruitment would not be going out of the core,” writes Shebib.
“I heard they won the day on [rural posting], and that’s good,
because Steve Thurber lost one there, because I know that was his
baby—trying to push all the black firefighters out to the rural
areas,” says Eddy. “That would’ve just—I wouldn’t say undone—but it
wouldn’t have given us the advertising value that we are that fair and
equitable employer. The kids in Uniacke Square and everywhere in
Halifax where there are black populations and anywhere in Metro could
say, ‘you know what? I can have a job like that when I grow up.'” As of
press time, Thurber did not return a call for comment.
The complaint
Under Mosher, say black firefighters, they’ve not achieved the kind
of progress they had hoped to see.
By 2007, the firefighters’ union was working closely with the HABFF,
but was facing its own frustrations. According to a timeline sent to
one councillor, a representative of chief Mosher told union officials
on July 19, 2007, that Mosher would not meet with black firefighters
because he considered them “a special interest group.”
There has been some progress meeting HABFF concerns—the rural
posting plan was aborted, and in March 2009 members of the designated
class received a back payment for wages lost in 2004—but it has been
too little, too late, say black firefighters.
“We don’t want any money, we don’t want any special privileges,”
says one black firefighter. “We want clear answers to our questions,
and we want clear statements from management. That’s all we’ve ever
asked for, but they keep playing these games.”
Additionally, The Struggle underscores the HABFF’s
disappointment with continuing recruitment efforts for new recruits,
finding them inadequate and half-hearted.
“It’s like somebody is trying to single them out and hurt them,”
says Eddy of black firefighters. “I can understand how the guys feel,
because as I said to my wife, what do you think the motive is
here—other than hurting people—just to sit back and have some kind
of cock-eyed grin on your face and, ‘ah, I got them’? That seems to me
to be the only motivation one person could have.”
Editor’s note: The following was issued by The Coast on April 13, 2010.
APOLOGY
On April 2, 2009 The Coast posted an article on our website entitled “Black firefighters file human rights complaint.” As with all of our stories, readers were invited to comment on the article. Unfortunately, several readers took this opportunity to write defamatory comments about Halifax Regional Municipality Fire Services Chief Bill Mosher and Deputy Chief Steve Thurber.
These comments were completely unsubstantiated and have harmed the reputations of Chief Mosher and Deputy Chief Thurber. The Coast sincerely apologizes to Chief Mosher and Deputy Chief Thurber for the damage to their reputations and the pain and suffering they have endured as a result of the defamatory comments which The Coast permitted to be posted on its website.
The postings have been removed from our website. As a consequence of the abuse of our comments policy, further comment posting in respect to this story will not be accepted.
Related Stories
Black firefighters enraged
HFD’s old boy network
Black firefighters and Halifax fire department bury the hatchet
Fighting for equity in the workplace
This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2009.
Eddy promised something he could not deliver, cushy jobs in town not out in the boonies.
Enough blame to go around but I have to ask if Mosher told CAO Dan English what was going on and why the CAO never told Mayor Kelly or the council.
Lots of people want to be firefighters because its well paid, plenty of time to run a business on the side and there are not a lot of fires. It’s just another boys club with 19th century thinking.
Quite disgusting if the allegations are true.
This and many untold stories that stay behind closed doors.
I have to admit. Living here for 15 years and being an immigrant, I’ve seem my share of racism, specially after 9/11 events, and from people who I worked with 2 years prior to 9/11. All of a sudden they don’t tolerate colored people.
It’s funny that quite a significant amount of people here just wait for the moment to become racist and not be held liable.
Canada reminds me of the 1950 US, when racism was in full force. It actually toned down quite a bit there. I think it’s still out in full force in Canada. If it wasn’t for shame, Canada would allow in-your-face racism.
I lived in Alberta so I can only speak for my experiences there, and here in NS. By far the 2 most racist provinces in Canada. I heard PEI is the same way. Quebec is racist against anyone that’s not french.
Regarding giving these guys a job outside the city, like kingston for example, or the valley. Well try driving through these areas as a colored person or staying there for a weekend and you be the judge. I don’t think anyone should be subjected to that type of treatment.
I think what some of these white firefighters seem to forget is that a good number of them, particularly the older ones, got the job because they were white men. For most of its existence, jobs with the fire department have been plum patronage gigs for the friends of the mayor, councillors or other city officials. I’d wonder if they had to go through the same hoops candidates have to endure now.
So you can’t cry reverse discrimination now when you got a job for the same reason: the colour of your skin and your gender.
It’s probably only a small minority of firefighters who are exhibiting this racist behaviour. But why do people have to put up with crap, even if it’s only coming from a few assholes?
Those who say Nova Scotia is the friendlist province in Canada have their heads firmly planted up their own asses. People are only friendly if you’re just like them or if you don’t plan on sticking around to ruin their good ol’ fashioned ways.
its nice to see mike eddy finally stand up and be heard.
Rafiki, do yourself a favour and Google “white privilege”. Garbage is the reason affirmative action had to be around in the first place.
Having inside information, I know that most of the allegations aren’t racism, but horrible management practices and workplace harrassment based. Every firefighter is experiencing the same things like dictator style leadership, revenge based management, accusational style leadership, and a huge lack of open communication from the office. And the reason the targeted recruitments were canceled was so the office could play politicvs and do a few HRM volunteer firefighter based hirings. Does racism exist in the fire department, for sure. But most of the problems here aren’t racist as they are happening to everyone.
Rafiki – you’re a clear example of why these things still happen. Even after reading a 5+ page article full of OBVIOUS racist attitudes you spout off about the race card. Give me the number of your lobotomist.
I saw no obvious racist additudes. All I see are a bunch of people playing politics to get a promotion or a raise. according to the coast, halifax regional police, metro transit and halifax fire are rasist organisations. seems like the wistle blowers are blowing there whistles at everyone. Being a minority, somtimes somone rubs you the wrong way. But you have to learn that its ussually not because of your skin colour.
Rafiki made a good point on this matter and one other thing I like to add to this.
Erlyer this month to kids stabe a nother kid all because he would not give up his cell phone while waiting for a bus on Alderny. One of the young teens
was arrested and now his mother and brother are crying
fowl say the police arrested his all because he is black. The police arrested him because he stabed another kid for a cell phone. If any black person thinks a white person is a rasist well guess what they are no more of a rasist them selfs or even worst.
“repeated use of the N word” = “being oversensitive.” Yeah, right. So I guess when I walk down the street and someone screams “bitch” at me out their car window, I’m offended not because they’re sexist, but because I’m sensitive. Yep.
Fuck there is so much blindness…the one thing I hate more than unrepentant racists is whites who whine about “reverse racism.” And then talk about “playing the race card” without a hint of irony.
“repeated use of the N word” = “being oversensitive.” Yeah, right. So I guess when I walk down the street and someone screams “bitch” at me out their car window, I’m offended not because they’re sexist, but because I’m sensitive. Yep.
Fuck there is so much blindness…the one thing I hate more than unrepentant racists is whites who whine about “reverse racism.” And then talk about “playing the race card” without a hint of irony.
Good point HfxGurl. Affirmative action existed unofficially long before it had a name, except its mandate was the opposite.
“repeated use of the N word” = “being oversensitive.” Yeah, right. So I guess when I walk down the street and someone screams “bitch” at me out their car window, I’m offended not because they’re sexist, but because I’m sensitive. Yep.
Fuck there is so much blindness…the one thing I hate more than unrepentant racists is whites who whine about “reverse racism.” And then talk about “playing the race card” without a hint of irony.
As a black citizen of Halifax, I feel that the city and management are asking for trouble when they hire someone based on their sex or the color of their skin.
Weather you are white or black that really shouldn’t be the issue. I was brought up to know the color of my skin was black but not to use that as a reason to get something or think that people owed me something for being black.
Furthermore I have been discriminated against by organizations in the black communities because I was not “black” enough. This makes me sick. I was turned away from bursaries and scholarships because I did not grow up in a black community.
The black fire fighters want to be treated equal on one hand but have special privledges on the other hand. Why shouldn’t they get posted to the outer core like everyone else? Why do they need to have their own separate association? If you come on as a fire fighter you go to the station and do what the other guys do. Forget the attitudes, forget old ways of thinking(whites are always out to get you), forget having a big feeling attitude and do your job that you are getting paid to do.
Lastly the black firefighters need to think about the trail they are blazing for future black fire fighters. Are they instilling this kind of thinking into their children. This mind set will always be around as long as black people continue to bow down to the thoughts and attitudes that everyone is out to get them, it will be a vicious cycle. Let’s stop this way of thinking. Have one association, the IAFF, which is in place and meet together as people, not groups.
After all I don’t want my child to be judged based on the example that is being put forth by the black members in the fire service.
By the way, I realize that it is probably not every black fire fighter that is complaining of mistreatment. So if you are fine with your job and feel you are treated equally don’t be swallowed up by the opinions and attitudes of your fellow black firefighters.
When did the Coast become the talking head for Mike Eddy?
Printing names without substance and allowing hearsay to become news. I have no doubt persons in the Fire Service have been made to feel uncomfortable and bullied- not always intentionally. Black, female, asian, gay or lesbian, tall, short, fat, etc. Heck I’m female and felt a bit weirded out by the word BITCH in capitals at the top of this page until I realized it was the complaint blog. But it is about the context and history right?!.
As a computer user something stuck out at me. I wonder about printing info about IP’s leading to a home addresses – as far as I know that is crap and potentially libelous. Most people have dynamic IP’s and they change with a power outage of 6 hours, unfortunately experienced a lot here. Or rolled by your ISP when they make changes to the network. So 6 months later, unless a court was involved I have no idea how someone found an IP belonging to a private home?!. I can change my ip now just talking to my router. I’ve been on bbs for years that banned posters by IP and most gave that up as it is impossible to keep up the ban as the IP changes.
So why is the Coast making Mike Eddy the hero? who was held on a leash by a legal department? Give me a break…
And is it really true that the black firefighters aren’t held to the same union negotiated contract as everyone else?! How does the Union justify that?
And joy, love you for speaking out
If there’s a problem why dont they use their local.. why form a organization named Halifax Association of Black Fire Fighters, is their a Halifax Association of White Fire Fighters???? Can white firefighters sit in on the organization of black firefighters or are they being descriminated against??? But when you signed up for the job you know what it came with, working shift work, getting to work the inner core or the outer core. If you didn’t want to work in the outer core then dont apply. Everybody has to do their time somewhere, once you’ve put your time in you can transfur to the inner core.
luvguru– the union signed onto the Human Rights Complaint. They have also issued a statement fully in support of the black firefighters. I’ll see if I have the technical expertise to attach the statement to this article; if so, I will.
Anyone other than me find it interesting that LessTalkMore Actions email contact is Hrm_exposed 2008 yet he/she claims in previous comments not to know specifics about the HRM fire services and the persons named except what is in this story. Or that they imply that Joy is insufficiently black ( as she herself has already stated has happened to her in her community) because she doesn’t agree with their views. Joy’s in good company as Aaron McGruder doesn’t think Obama is black either.
And you wonder why I call myself tiredofitall…
The halifax association of black fire fighters? If I am white, and would like to join this accociation and am denied access because Of my skin color, are you not racially biased against me? The halifax association of white fire fighters would not sit well. Forming and association with in an organization should not be allowed. What if fifty police officers decided that they wanted to form, the hailfax association of police officers, who don’t enforce pot laws?? this this kind of thing is ridiculos. Its time to stop the bullshit and put out the fires, including this witch hunt of a great fire cheif, who, the people of porters lake, will stand behind.
I just want a job as a firefighter with Halifax Fire. Growing up, its what I always wanted to do. My Dad was a firefighter, and so was his dad, (my grandfather). I have two uncles and three cousins who are all members of the IAFF, throughout North America. When I moved to Halifax as a young man, I fell if love. I met some firefighters and decided it was my time.
Again, all I want to do is become a firefighter. And Halifax is my first choice. I want to become servce my time, become a rookie, or a Snot, as they say in Halifax. I want to earn my spot, buy the pizza if I work overtime, drive the big trucks, safe lives, hero stuff, put in 25-30 years and get a pension, AND I want toEARN the RESPECT of my fellow brothers and sister. It shouldn’t matter what color, race or sex I am. As long as I can drag my partner out of a building, or start a chain saw, or do the damn job thats required. Especially now a days where there are less firefighters on the trucks, everyone has to step up there game.
As far as the BS that is going on, between managament and the firefigheters, thats just normal everyday stuff. Why are we hearing about now, probably becasue one or two firefighters are bitter and have a chip ont ther shoulders and are taking it out against the world. I would like to clarify that that previous statement was not directed at any designated group, becase there are many complainers out there, regardless of color, race or sex.
PS please hire me, I am a human being. (Color, race and sex is between me and Halifax Fire’s Human Resource Dept.). Thank you.
And why does the Cronicle hearld run so many stories about the goings on in the fire department and metro transit? Why has no one bothered to mention the fact that HRFD helped to save the community of porters lake, the management seems sound, The resources were allocated efficiently and no one died. These racial complaints the Chronicle is stirring up against The fire department, metro transit and agaisnt the police department are an attempt to boost ratings and save their out dated printed rag from obscurity. The Mob shouting for Mosher and Thurburs heads is ridiculos, and the papers are Libel for defamation of character. I do not see racism here, just a political pissing contest. The Old Fire cheif was fired for a reason, and has little merit when bad mouthing the man who filled his shoes. This is so stupid. Fire the man who wrote derogatory comments in sackville and tell the union to stop protecting him. one Racist fire fighter does not make a Racist Fire department and Cheif.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/10sco…
Interesting story I came across today seems like it’s not the only city dealing with the race card being pulled. My take on this whole FD BS and being mulatto (The offspring of one white parent and one black parent ) it kind of makes me disappointed that 1) My city would set my black history and culture back 30 years by having a recruitment looking for African Canadians only. 2) setting my mothers gender back 30 years by having a female only recruitment. Former Chief of Halifax Mike Eddy who if the Cronicle Herald or the Coast would do there homework on was Fired from HRM he did not retire. I am sad that these young black men would be treated wrong indeed but gentlemen you must remember it is great to be proud of being black but you seem to have forgotten you are part of the human race. You have your own Assc. of black Firemen come on gentlemen what would happen if the Caucasian started the Irish catholic Assc of Firemen would you feel wronged.
I have been reading these articles over the week studying comments and actually did a little research myself into HRFD.
I now know that there are a few certain black men that are in stations number 6 and another one in station number 9
( A )day as it is called that have a book they carry around to write down everything that goes on. You don’t help the cause. You don’t help the struggle you create one. If you are unhappy retire, quit, but stop the Bullrun on the Oldest Organized Fire Department in Canada you will destroy the Legacy that these men have left behind. I myself am an educated half White half Black Canadian that has been subject to racism it hurts I know but as the Great Bill Cosby has said in his motivational talks Stop Blaming the White man!!! Stand up for yourself brothers have your voice heard get answers for what has happened but don’t blame a pay decrease, or clothing issues, or the fact of being sent to the rural as reasons to wine as these were agreements between the Firefighters Union I assume and management in the contract agreement which means all firefighters are subject to this not just the black man pick your battles right Men as what you do today will affect tomorrow in closing I hope that the Mayor of Halifax does the right thing and asks for this Chief Thurbers retirement It may not be the answers the ABFF wants but it is a start no doubt. Good luck in finding answers to the real struggle.
And for the gentlemen that look for trouble in those stations mentioned shame on you !!! Disgraceful.
Holy Crap bochris123, for god’s sake go to school!!!!
You know, regardless of race, religion or sex, everyone should be treated equally. All should be paid the same and have the same chances and rights to advancements. Everyone should have a chance regardless of what the job is, based on their qualifications, being one doesn’t make a person more qualified than black, and vice versa. Like seriously, what age are we living in these days!!!
As someone who knows this workplace very well I can make one comment. City Council does not want to know about the fire service. If they were to survey the firefighters, they would find they have a major problem and they don’t want to know. As far as racial and sexual discrimination, it does exist, but it is the few rather than the majority. The problem is that the few aren’t dealt with properly because they (Management) don’t understand basic motivational concepts.
Two things would return astonishing results and would both point out the same problems. (Most of the names of these problems have already surfaced.)
1) A financial audit of spending. It’s very common knowledge as to how money has gone into some questionable pockets. (Have an auditor ask almost any firefighter what to look for and it is simple.)
2) A survey of employees regarding management practices. This would show the accusations of the former chief are very close to the mark.
The half dozen major problems all have enough time in to easily retire. A little convincing is so long over due. Of course one or two of them might face criminal charges if the financial audit was done.
Maybe Bill Mosher should refer this to the committee who will refer it to the committee who will buy lunch and refer it to the other committee who will request information from the first committee and suggest they hire an outside committee to pick another committee then select one from each committee to form a new committee OMG lets just call in the BOC!! solved!!
I am not a reader of The Coast but this article was referred to me by someone who knows me as a friend of Jim Benoit’s. All I can say is “WOW”!! Are there 2 Jim Benoit’s in the fire department, because the one I know cannot be the same person referred to in this article. The man I know is a kind and caring individual. Racist?? No way! I have seen this man work with members of the black community in at least one of the volunteer organizations he is associated with. A few years ago he had some black neighbours and I believe their children even looked after his kids on occassion. I have not seen Jim since he returned from vacation, but will definitely recommend he get some legal advise. I can only imagine how he is feeling right now. As for lesstalkmoreaction’s comments about him being a racist; well friend, it is obvious you do not know Jim at all and shame on you for assuming that everything you read is fact and contributing to these types of insinuations when the man was not even available to defend himself. As for the article itself … Sounds like the fire department definitely has some issues. I cannot comment on much as Jim is the only fireman I know and he has never really talked to me much about his job other than the occasional fire. It certainly sounds like the black firemen have some issues. It also sounds like information on this article was provided by some individuals with an axe to grind (no pun intended). It always amazes me that certain individuals like to hide behind the cloak of anonimity and make sensational accusations. If the issues are legitimate, and I don’t doubt several are, I don’t believe this would be the best way to champion a legitimate cause. From reading the comments it sounds like their may be some management issues but then again – it is very easy to comment behind a cloak of anonimity. I believe the author has done a very poor job of sensationalizing what is perhaps some serious issues for this group. Too bad really.
Halifax has always been racist. It’s been getting better since 1976, It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when Canadians and the world tote Halifax as the underground railroad for blacks from America. From slavery to indenture ship or poverty. Sometimes in Nova Scotia I run into such hateful bigotry I have only seen in certain parts of the states. Canada as a whole has moved far ahead of racism. Nova Scotia got lost a long time ago. There is more i would like to say, but are you understanding?
“I lived in Alberta so I can only speak for my experiences there, and here in NS. By far the 2 most racist provinces in Canada”
That is the most ignorent statement I have see to date and is not true, and as you said, you have only been to 2 provinces, so how the hell do you know we are the 2 most rascist provinces? Maybe you didnt know Halifax is an extreemly diverse community, more so than many, many others across the country, and you are full of shit.
What ignorence, are you sure people dont treat you a certain way becasue of you ridiculous personality and thought process?
Fifty-nine per cent of Quebecers admit to being racist to some degree, according to a Léger Marketing survey published Monday in Le Journal de Montréal.
Yeah, Nova Scotia’s baaaaaaad. How many people live in Quebec again?
-Get over this bullshit scotia-bashing and find someone else to blam for your problems which are probably due to your own ignorence.
I do not think it is so much about being the most racist as it is being the most ‘fearity’ (Scottish for cowardly) about talking about race…We have racial hostage taking in this province that prohibits meaningful discussion on racial cohesion and diversity….. ‘fraid or fed up is how we respond to racial issues here…
Until we acknowledge in this province that all can be victims of racism and all can be perps, we cannot have honest discussion anyway.. no one race has a monopoly on being victims and sadly those who think they do are holding up the dang train……..