My story, thus far | Courtney Betty

Law360 Canada (October 17, 2024, 9:44 AM EDT) --

Courtney Betty

I remember as a young boy arriving in Canada, from Jamaica, filled with excitement and joy. Canada was the land of opportunity, my parents told me. They were both hardworking people. My mother worked in a clothing factory and my father worked for the City of Toronto as a proud parking attendant. They drilled in me the value of education, character and a strong religious belief that I should treat everyone with the greatest level of respect and compassion. In many ways, though I did not recognize it then, these values became a cornerstone that formed the foundation for the rest of my life.

From my early experiences, I gained insight into the challenges many young Black men experienced living in a country that treated them as outsiders. Many of them became victims of stop-and-frisk or, as we now call it, racial profiling by the police. At the time the killing of innocent Black men by the police was a too often reality. In many ways, these experiences and my desire to help made law the only choice for a career.

Early on, I developed a passion for autobiographies. One of the books I read was about the life of Justice Thurgood Marshall, the greatest civil rights lawyer. He also became the first Black judge to be appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Justice Marshall became my hero. Without a full understanding of the challenges ahead, I set out on a path to pursue law as a career. I also decided that if I wanted to achieve change, I had to work from the inside. What better place to aim for justice than the Department of Justice Canada? Thus began my long journey with one goal: to join the Department of Justice.

The path to the Department of Justice was long and arduous. Working at the Department of Justice was an incredible experience. I learned how the wheels of justice turned at the highest levels. I was dedicated and passionate about my job. The senior leaders at the time placed a great deal of confidence in me by assigning very complex legal matters that had broad societal implications. I loved my job and the people I worked with. Unfortunately, there was a change in leadership and, with that change, I experienced my first pain of racism and discrimination with new management. At the time there were no support systems to turn to; not knowing what else to do, I took a leave of absence for one year. After seven years on leave, I submitted my resignation to the Department of Justice.

Though I left the Department of Justice, my quest for justice did not leave me. I acted in many high-profile cases as well as representing thousands of people who felt they were victims of the justice system. All of this has prepared me for my most important fight: representing thousands of Black public service workers in a large class action against the Government of Canada. Coincidentally the Department of Justice is lead advisor on the class action. Life has brought me a 180-degree turn, except now I am on the outside fighting for justice against the Department of Justice. My battle is not against Canada but for the values we all hold and cherish in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

As lawyers, many of us choose our path and practice. On the other side, there are lawyers like me who are lawyers because of the circumstances of our lives and the necessity to stand up and be a voice of legal reason. It is truly exciting to now be able to play a role in advancing the development of Justice and Equity law as it relates to workplace racism and discrimination in Canada.

Courtney Betty, founder of Betty's Law Office, is a former Crown Attorney at the Department of Justice Canada and has more than 30 years of legal experience in both government and the private sector.

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author’s firm, its clients, Law360 Canada, LexisNexis Canada or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.   

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