A 60-year-old Black woman in Quebec claims her employer overlooked her for promotions despite decades of service, pointing to systemic racism in the workplace.
Long Career Hits Roadblocks
Wanda Kagan started as an administrative officer in 1989 at the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, a health authority in Montreal. After 36 years, she remains one of the few racialized staff in her department. Nearing retirement, Kagan—a longtime friend of former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris—speaks out about her stalled career and frustrations with Quebec’s human rights processes.
In a 2022 complaint to Quebec’s Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission (CDPDJ), Kagan asserts that her seniority and skills went ignored as managers denied salary adjustments and promotions for years.
“Over the course of the 10 years that I was trying to advance my career, my white colleagues were getting ‘team lead’ roles,” Kagan said. She added that repeated requests for written performance reviews from managers went unanswered, leaving her feeling abused.
Alleged Clerical Errors Stall Progress
Kagan attributes her stalled advancement to what her employer described as a clerical error. Managers reportedly treated her as a temporary full-time employee from 2014 to 2021—making her ineligible for promotions—despite her permanent status. “I wasn’t even human enough for somebody to look in my file to see my qualifications,” she stated.
Records confirm Kagan’s permanent full-time status since 1989. The employer acknowledged the mistake verbally shortly after her April 2022 complaint to Quebec’s workplace safety board (CNESST). In April 2023, a CNESST representative informed her of a computer coding error that placed her on a lower pay scale, resulting in back pay for only the prior two years. She received compensation in November 2023, and the CNESST closed the file in December despite her push for deeper review.
The CIUSSS states that only permanent staff meeting specific criteria qualify for promotions and that performance evaluations, while recommended every two to three years, are not required. A spokesperson noted employees can voluntarily share demographic data, but fewer than half do so.
Push for Clear Investigation Standards
As the CDPDJ reviews whether Kagan’s case advances to the Human Rights Tribunal, she urges the commission to publish clear guidelines for probing systemic racism claims. Such transparency would ensure fair, consistent handling of discrimination cases.
Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations assisting Kagan, criticizes the CDPDJ’s case summary for omitting her race, age, and workplace demographics—key context for systemic issues. “That’s the result of not having guidelines and competencies to handle these complaints properly,” Niemi said. He contrasts this with Ontario’s detailed policy incorporating data, processes, and culture.
A CDPDJ spokesperson explains that a French-language toolkit on their site lists indicators of systemic discrimination and requires proving three essential elements. “The systemic nature does not alter the standard investigation process,” the spokesperson stated.
Recent CDPDJ data shows visible minorities comprise about 32% of investigation and legal staff in 2024-2025 (63 employees), down slightly from 2023, with one Indigenous staffer in three years.
Broader Experiences and Advice
A former racialized employee at a Montreal cultural organization, whose similar CDPDJ complaint was dismissed after four years, describes a hostile environment where excuses masked discrimination. Menial tasks went to people of color, leadership stayed white, and racist comments persisted. “Racism isn’t always spectacular; it’s an accumulation of oversights,” she said, believing investigators missed systemic factors.
Human rights lawyer Pearl Eliadis, an associate professor at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, notes the high evidentiary bar in race discrimination cases often relies on plaintiffs documenting “soft interactions.” She advises early legal consultation and real-time records, like screenshots of meetings, as courts value contemporaneous evidence. “You’re the one who controls your own record,” Eliadis emphasized.
Kagan, who battled depression during the process, warns it “can break you” but encourages workers to track careers and self-advocate. “As you battle a whole system, you have to be strong and believe in yourself,” she said.
