Face Racism will probably be an ongoing Market sequence. We’re thinking about following individuals trying to find justice of their communities, {the marketplace} and the office — typically even bringing them head to head with firm executives and authorities. Share your story at marketplace@cbc.ca
Employees in Alberta’s oilsands sector are talking out about racial discrimination they are saying they confronted on the job, telling CBC’s Market of racist jokes, preferential therapy for white colleagues and exclusion from everlasting jobs and promotions.
They additionally say systemic racism is an impediment once they’re making an attempt to enter and advance within the trade.
“I went there to make a greater life for myself,” stated Shane MacQueen, a heavy gear operator who has labored within the Fort McMurray space for 14 years. “I discovered that working gear was one thing I actually loved and cherished doing.”
However MacQueen, 41, stated early on, there have been indicators that his love for the work would not at all times be reciprocated.
In 2006, he received a job as a labourer for North American Development Group (NACG), a contractor that gives providers to grease and gasoline corporations.
“So, it was a bunch of white individuals and me, and this one man’s making a bunch of Black jokes and placing me in them,” stated MacQueen. “I bear in mind one was, like, Shane leaping on the mattress and my hair getting caught within the stucco ceiling.”
North American Development Group stated it may’t pretty reply to what MacQueen described as a result of it occurred a few years in the past and went unreported.
“Nonetheless, I can guarantee you that NACG takes racism very severely and has quite a few insurance policies and practices in place to make sure that it isn’t a part of our office,” stated Darren Krill, advertising and communications supervisor.
WATCH | A Black oilsands employee describes feeling powerless on the job:
Shane MacQueen says he’s been a goal for mistreatment and racism whereas working in Alberta’s oilsands for the previous 14 years. His story is a part of a brand new ongoing Market sequence, Face Racism. 3:39
‘You simply do not complain about issues’
Garry Similien, 47, had an identical expertise with a coworker throughout a current stint at Badger Daylighting, an organization that does hydrovac excavation.
“Many instances he stated to me, ‘Man, Garry, I can slap the Black out of you,'” Similien stated, noting the remark was made as a joke. “That is not one thing that you simply say to a different human being, interval.”
Requested about Similien’s allegations, Badger Daylighting stated its code of conduct prohibits it from talking about present or former workers.
“We’re dedicated to eliminating exclusion in all kinds, and we stand behind these values, beliefs and commitments,” stated Tracey Wallace, vice-president of human assets.
MacQueen and Similien by no means raised the racist feedback with their respective employers.
“Throughout the board, you simply do not complain about issues,” stated Sara Dorow, chair of the sociology division at the College of Alberta in Edmonton, who has studied the oilsands sector and its staff for greater than a decade.
“Each office, in fact, there’s each systemic racism and each day racial discrimination and harassment. However what does it appear to be there?”

Dorow recalled an instance from a current survey she carried out on psychological well being amongst oilsands staff. One employee, a South Asian man, stated his response to slurs from coworkers was to “keep quiet.” He stated: “I am not there to make pals or resolve racism. I am simply there to gather a paycheque.”
A 2018 report from PetroLMI, a division of Power Security Canada, put the proportion of seen minority staff in oil and gasoline at 13 per cent based mostly on census knowledge from 2016. Seen minorities accounted for 21 per cent of staff throughout all industries for a similar census yr. The Employment Fairness Act defines seen minorities as “individuals, aside from Aboriginal peoples, who’re non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color.”
Handled otherwise on the job
By 2009, MacQueen had moved from working for contractors to a everlasting place with Canadian Pure Sources Restricted (CNRL), one of many operators within the space. The job introduced greater pay and stability, however, as soon as once more, there weren’t many individuals of color on web site, he stated, and he discovered he was being handled extra harshly than his coworkers.
He stated the early mornings and lengthy days had been tough, and he was additionally involved about his ailing mom on the time.
“I used to be drained so much, and on the breaks, I might take a nap. And typically, I would oversleep my break,” stated MacQueen.
When he overslept, he stated, somebody would take him off of the truck and ask him to undergo a urine take a look at, and he would obtain a “write-up.”
In line with MacQueen, when different staff slept previous their breaks, somebody would wake them up, and they might get again to work. That by no means occurred to him.

“They construct this file on me up till the purpose the place they’re capable of let me go,” he stated.
CNRL provided no remark when requested by Market about MacQueen’s issues that he was handled extra harshly.
MacQueen misplaced that job in 2011 and has been employed on contracts ever since.
He stated he is despatched dozens of functions for everlasting positions through the years.
“They’ve a spot whenever you’re making use of the place it says verify off if you’re a minority. I typically really feel like they use that to not rent you,” he stated.
‘Outdated white boys’ community’ tradition in oilsands
Dorow stated there’s an “previous white boys’ community” tradition within the oilsands, which makes it more durable for individuals of color to get in and advance.
“You are knocking on that door. It’s important to work more durable to show your self,” she stated. “So, it is extra scrutiny but in addition extra willingness to probably distrust or blame if you’re a employee of color.”
Similien stated he was additionally singled out whereas working for KMC Mining, one other contractor that gives providers to corporations within the sector.
“I had that supervisor that was on me on a regular basis. This was one explicit man that was principally using me,” he stated.

In line with Similien, the continuing concern along with his supervisor got here to a head in March 2019. A coworker requested him to shortly wash a truck as a favour, however he did not safe it earlier than beginning the job. Similien says his supervisor reprimanded him even after he defined the scenario, and he needed to fill out an incident report.
“I stated, ‘Man, you are a big-time racist, and this isn’t truthful. And at the moment, I am not going to take it anymore.'”
Similien complained to the corporate, and the scenario was investigated by a 3rd get together, which concluded that the allegations had been unfounded. Similien finally agreed to a layoff.
“The unbiased third-party investigation discovered that the worker’s allegations had been unfounded,” stated Moe Farhat, director of human assets at KMC Mining, when requested to touch upon Similien’s allegations of racially motivated bullying.
“However this conclusion, KMC took the chance to supply further management and worker coaching to make sure we’ve a office freed from all types of harassment and bullying and that we proceed to uphold rules of respect in our firm.”
Extra staff converse out
Market heard from a number of different oilsands staff of color in regards to the office tradition throughout the sector. The varieties of discrimination they described included:
- Being denied additional time and development alternatives.
- Being informed to vary their identify to one thing extra “Western” to enhance their probabilities of getting a everlasting place.
- Issue transferring from contract work to everlasting positions with operators, no matter {qualifications}.
“I believe that resonates with what I have been listening to, for positive,” stated Dorow concerning the concern of getting everlasting positions.
She stated the sector is “a extremely tough context to navigate and to belief that your ability will probably be, in actual fact, acknowledged and you’re going to get the assist you want.”
The push for change
Requested in regards to the staff’ allegations of racism within the oilsands, the Canadian Affiliation of Petroleum Producers acknowledged the significance of range and inclusion however didn’t provide concrete options for addressing racism.
“There is no such thing as a place for racial discrimination in any office,” media relations supervisor Jay Averill stated in a press release.
“Security is positioned on the highest worth within the oil and pure gasoline trade, and that features the suitable to really feel secure from discrimination and harassment at work. The difficulty of range and inclusion within the office is a vital one, and firms throughout all industries should repeatedly try to construct constructive work environments.”
Similien would not work within the oilsands anymore and has no real interest in returning, however MacQueen desires to proceed. He stated the sector wants a program targeted on growing racial range and supporting staff of color.

MacQueen stated Girls Constructing Futures (WBF), an Edmonton-based non-profit group that helps girls discover work within the trades, supplies an excellent mannequin for such an initiative. Its companions embody corporations comparable to Suncor and Imperial Oil.
Jess Thomson, director of stakeholder and authorities relations at WBF, agreed that extra racial range is required within the oilsands sector.
“I believe there’s so much that WBF can contribute to assist the work that you simply’re eager to do,” Thomson informed MacQueen in September once they met. “For us, it is that actual concentrate on the notice of alternative, the connections to trade after which the suitable coaching. And I believe that might switch rather well.”
She additionally agreed to assist MacQueen set up these connections to the trade.
“I believe I will keep up a correspondence with Jess so much and sort of attempt to decide her mind on the blueprint that she has occurring right here,” MacQueen stated.
“I will most likely be knocking on some doorways to see if we will get some extra assist for what I am making an attempt to do right here and actually steamroll the trade and get issues going.”
For extra tales in regards to the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success tales throughout the Black neighborhood — take a look at Being Black in Canada, a CBC venture Black Canadians will be happy with. You can read more stories here.

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