Diversity committee 'very angry' they were left out of Windsor's new $200K anti-racism project

The chair of Windsor's diversity committee says he's furious that city council chose to award $200,000 to the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCWEC) for an anti-racism initiative — given that the committee was already working on a similar project.

"I am angry. I am very angry," said Peter Ijeh, the chair of the diversity committee.

"The carpet was pulled underneath us."

Ijeh explained that a few months ago, the committee had been given the green light by city council to put together an anti-racism initiative in partnership with the Windsor-Essex Local Immigration Partnership (WELIP). 

It's basically discrediting or dismantling everything we've been working on.- Riham AlSaadi-Attia, member of Diversity Committee & WELIP

The official wording of the approval by council on May 3, 2021 was that WELIP and the Diversity Committee could undertake a community consultation in conjunction with the diversity and inclusion initiative "to address racism in the community."

Ijeh said the two organizations were in the process of establishing strategies and methodologies when they learned about the proposal from the MCWEC — which was approved by council last week.

"It was a little bit of confusion and shock at the same time," said Riham AlSaadi-Attia, a member of both the diversity committee and WELIP, who has played a key role in the partnership between the two entities. 

"It's basically discrediting or dismantling everything we've been working on," she said, explaining that the initiative just approved is almost a "replica" of what the committee had already begun.

CBC News reached out to WELIP but officials who could speak on behalf of the organization declined to comment. 

Collaboration and consultation

Andrew Teliszewsky, Mayor Drew Dilkens' chief of staff, says the goal is for the MCWEC and the diversity committee to work together moving forward. 

The funding came from the mayor who obtained approval for it to be allocated within the 2021 budget following the killing of George Floyd.

But AlSaadi-Attia questioned why, if the goal is collaboration, the diversity committee wasn't consulted or informed about the proposal from the MCWEC until it became public.

"How are we putting these two things together?"

She said she's not discrediting the work that the MCWEC does for the community, nor is she upset about the funding allocation.

"It's about the lack of presence that we have as the diversity committee in that decision."

Questions around lack of consultation were also flagged by Ijeh, as well as Leslie McCurdy, the acting chair of the Black Council. 

During last week's meeting, McCurdy expressed frustration that the Black Council had not been adequately consulted, even though it was listed as a group that had been. 

Ijeh, who is also a member of the Black Council says the diversity committee was also not consulted, though it was listed as well.

"The city lied," he said. "They lied very, very seriously."

Teliszewsky stresses that over the last year, the mayor's office and city administration held dozens of meetings with a number of different groups, including the diversity committee about anti-racism. 

"What was heard from those discussions ultimately fed into this process and vision," Teliszewsky said. 

He defended the decision to give the grant to the MCWEC, stressing that the organization does "tremendous" work with regards to newcomer settlement and multicultural programming. 

"Because they're such an established, known commodity with a proven track record, they're exactly the kind of organization which should be undertaking this kind of activity."

Multiculturalism vs. Anti-racism?

But Ijeh also questions the MCWEC's ability to take on an anti-racism initiative.

"The MCC has no knowledge of what anti-racism is about, like completely in the dark," Ijeh said — stressing that multiculturalism and anti-racism are two separate matters.

Ijeh also questions the ethics of awarding the funding to the MCWEC, when Councillor Fred Francis serves as the organization's director of programs and development for the MCWEC. 

Francis recused himself from voting during last week's meeting. He did not respond to CBC's request for comment.

"These are obviously questions that people will raise," Teliszewsky said. "But it's actually kind of unfortunate that folks would try to malign the MCC because that's where Fred Francis today happens to work."

Threats of resigning

Ijeh explained that this experience has left members of the diversity committee feeling "disillusioned," and as though their efforts to date have been for naught, with some, like AlSaadi-Attia, considering resigning.

"That committee is not mandated to actually do anything tangible," Ijeh said.

"We are the most ineffective and the most toothless committee that you would ever find, because the city set it up that way and intended to ignore that committee from day one anyway."

Ijeh said that though he's furious, he will not quit his position as chair of the diversity committee.

"It allows me to be able to at least have some insight of what's going on within the city," he said.

Fighting the decision

He plans on discussing next steps with the committee, but says that individually, he wants to oppose this decision. 

"I will encourage the Black Council as well to oppose it with every ounce of their strength, because I am a member of that group."

Council did pass a motion last week asking the MCWEC to report to the diversity committee on its anti-racism action plan.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.