From a new book about life in Canada in the 1980s:
Part of the problem seemed to lie in the new Employment Equity Commission. The commission had been set up by [socialist Ontario Premier Bob] Rae specifically to advance the cause of disadvantaged groups, including racial minorities.
Most staff members hired were from the four disadvantaged groups.
But [ME: “But”?!?] soon it was torn itself by racial animosity. Julie Mason, former director of communications for the federal NDP, worked for about one year at the commission. She later called it the most racist workplace she had ever experienced.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Mason said. “It was absolutely vicious…. The blacks hated the Indians; the Indian were the most antisemitic; everyone hated the lesbians and gays…. There was a real pecking order. At the bottom were people with disabilities. Next to the bottom were white women. There were no white men, not until they had to bring in John DeMarco [a senior bureaucrat in Citizenship] to fix up the mess.”
