The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is under fire for issues of workplace discrimination after posts began popping up on social media with the hashtag #cmhrstoplying last week.
In social media posts, former employees alleged that they experienced racism and homophobia while working at the museum.
John Young, CMHR president and CEO, told 680 CJOB the museum recognizes that it has an obligation to take the allegations seriously and to act according to its mandate.
The museum was the end-point for last week’s #Justice4BlackLives rally, which attracted tens of thousands of Winnipeggers to the Manitoba legislature and later on a march to the CMHR in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We want to acknowledge that these statements and concerns are very serious, and also want to acknowledge the frustrations of those making them,” said Young.
“We seek to promote the principle that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights, so these allegations are an important challenge to us.”
Young said the museum is bringing in external resources to help tackle the issue, noting that it won’t be solved overnight, and they’re in this for the long run.
“We’re expected to achieve a higher standard, and frankly we expect that from ourselves as well. These are sobering allegations and require our best efforts,” he said.
“I hold myself accountable, and this is work that needs to be done. It’s not going to be easy but we’re committed to being transparent and very open about how we’re addressing these challenges.”
In an open letter to the museum posted on Facebook, former employee Thiané Diop — whose original post started the #cmhrstoplying hashtag — said Young and the museum have been aware of these issues for some time, and are just trying to placate people by making public statements about efforts to improve.
“No amount of focus groups and placations will change what is rotten in your structure,” Diop said in the post.
“Look deeper or stop pretending, anything else is just making things worse. If you really want to address the harm that you have caused and are causing, how about financial restitution for the Black employees whom you have forced out of the institution?
“How about a public, transparent and full review of your Black content directed by Black community members?
“How about you put your money where your mouth is?”
Among the allegations, former CMHR employees have claimed that incidents of racism between staff and members of the public were ignored by the museum’s management.
There have also been claims that Indigenous and Black staff members were overlooked in favour of white men.
One former employee said on social media they had been sexually assaulted at the museum but were told by management not to report it to police.
In a statement on social media, the Toronto-based student group Museum Professionals of Colour (MPOC) called the CMHR’s culture “abhorrent.”
“Over the course of the past few days, we’ve been horrified to learn about the many stories of blatant racism, homophobia and overall bigotry at the CMHR.
“As a Canadian national museum and a museum for human rights, the culture at the CMHR… unequivocally contradicts their mission.”
Young said work is already underway to improve conditions at the museum, which reopens Wednesday after months of COVID-19-related closure.
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