It’s been a year since Halifax Fire chief Ken Stuebing publicly apologized to Liane Tessier, and both Halifax Fire and the Human Rights Commission are reluctant to share what changes were made at the organization to deal with the misogyny that was so prevalent. “We’re dealing with issues that were hidden, now we are letting it out of the bag and HRM and the NS Human Rights Commission don’t like it, because now they are being held to account,” Tessier says, pointing to the work of Equity Watch, the anti-bullying organization she co-founded.”

Media release: Equity Watch has learned from several sources that after the media conference HRM sent a note to employees in some business units forbidding them to use social media and social networks to criticize their employer or do anything that would affect HRM’s reputation.

About 80 people rallied this afternoon at the the Maritime Centre, home of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. They were there to protest anti-Black racism in workplaces anywhere, and especially to support Nhlanhla Dlamini, the young Black man shot with a high velocity nail gun by a co-worker employed with PQ Properties Limited of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia on September 18. The man who shot Dlamini should be charged with attempted murder and hate crimes, rally organizers say.

Raymond Sheppard, representing African Nova Scotian City workers, and members of Equity Watch held a joint press conference to argue that in terms of bullying and racism there is no political will among senior management to truly address the issues, and that it is time for an independent third party, like the City’s Auditor General, to hold an inquiry.

The story of Nhlanhla Dlamini, the 21-year old Black worker from Pictou County who tells of being bullied at work and shot at with nail gun, has been widely reported. People in Halifax are trying to get some kind of action off the ground in support of Dlamini.

News release: For the first time, Equity Watch participated in Saturday’s Pride Parade. Equity Watch Nova Scotia is a nonprofit organization representing hundreds of people who want to end bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Liane Tessier , the former Halifax firefighter and co-founder of Equity Watch, believes that Halifax employees who suffered racism, misogyny and bullying at work deserve a public inquiry, not just some quarterly updates to Council and a review by an external consultant. Tessier fought the city for 12 years after suffering abuse by management and fellow workers before she was vindicated.