Nicholas Marcus Thompson (born 16 July 1986) is a prominent human rights advocate, nonprofit executive, and keynote speaker known for his work in addressing systemic discrimination and advancing equity and inclusion. He serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Black Class Action Secretariat (BCAS), a litigation and advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling systemic discrimination in workplaces and public institutions. Under Thompson’s leadership, BCAS spearheaded the landmark $2.5 billion Black Class Action lawsuit against the Canadian federal government, challenging systemic discrimination across 99 departments and agencies and representing 45,000 impacted workers. Thompson has played a central role in shaping legislative and policy changes in Canada, advocating internationally at the United Nations, and uniting global leaders to combat systemic racism.
Thompson was born in the tiny, predominantly East Indian village of Piparo in Trinidad. When he was eight, his mother moved to Morvant, and Thompson was raised by his great-grandfather, a World War II veteran and former police inspector. In his own words, Thompson "landed in Toronto as a teenager, ready to take on the world".[9]
Thompson joined Canada's public service as an employee of the Canada Revenue Agency, where he became a member of Union of Taxation Employees, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Thompson was then elected President of Union of Taxation Employees, Toronto North.[10] He received a scholarship from the Union of Taxation Employees and graduated from the Labour College of Canada.[11]
Thompson was soon after elected as Chairperson of Racially Visible Committee (RVC) and Vice-President of the Greater Toronto Area Council of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.[12] In January 2021, Thompson was elected second Alternate Regional Executive Vice President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Ontario Region. Thompson serves in these four elected positions simultaneously.[13]
He is the host of Union Matters, an online show which focuses on anti-racism and discrimination issues in the labour movement. The show caused national controversy in September 2020 when Thompson called out a high-profile union executive for anti-Black discrimination, resulting in their resignation.[16]
In his native country, Trinidad and Tobago, he petitioned the government in 2014 over a major corruption scandal called LifeSport.[19] His petition called on the then Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Anthony Carmona to end their silence and to fire the cabinet minister responsible for the program. Seven days into petitioning, the Minister tendered his resignation. Media outlets attributed the resignation in part to Thompson's petition.[20][21]
International Advocacy
Thompson has been a prominent figure in advocating for the rights of Black Canadians on the international stage, focusing on discrimination issues within Canada’s federal public service.
UN Human Rights Council Complaint
On September 25, 2022, Thompson announced at the Parliament building in Ottawa a significant development alongside figures like New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada Ketty Nivyabandi, PIPSC Vice President Norma Domey, and MP Matthew Green. The Black Class Action Secretariat (BCAS) had lodged a complaint with the United NationsHuman Rights Council's Special Rapporteur for racism, addressing systemic racism in hiring and promotions within Canada's federal public service. This action was a major step in elevating the issue to an international platform.[22]
Addresses at the United Nations
Thompson continued his international advocacy with several key addresses at the United Nations:
December 4, 2022: Address at the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland, highlighting discrimination in hiring and promotions faced by Canadian federal public sector workers of African descent.[23]
May 30, 2023: Speech in New York at the UN, focusing on challenges experienced by Black Canadians in the federal public service, referencing findings about the Canadian Human Rights Commission's discrimination against its Black employees.[23]
November 10, 2023: Participation in the United Nations' universal periodic review of Canada in Geneva, Switzerland. Thompson criticized Canada's human rights record, highlighting systemic discrimination against Black workers and calling for accountability and review of the Canadian Human Rights Commission's practices.[4]
On December 2, 2020, the landmark case Nicholas Marcus Thompson et al V. Her Majesty was filed, naming the entire federal public service as defendants. Thompson said that Canada’s public service must reflect the people that it serves.[25]
Around 30,000 Black civil servants have allegedly been deprived of opportunities and benefits afforded to others based on their race since the 1970s.
The claim states that the Employment Equity Act sought to prevent discrimination but in reality, there has allegedly been a de facto practice of Black employee exclusion throughout the public service because of the permeation of systemic discrimination through Canada’s institutional structure..[26]
Awards
In January 2020, Thompson was awarded the Activist of the Year by the Public Service Alliance of Canada's Greater Toronto Area Council.[27]
On February 6, 2021, John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, proclaimed Bob Marley Day for the 30th year. Thompson was named a recipient of the Bob Marley Day award for his contribution to the advancement and development of his community.[28]
In June 2023, the Toronto & York Regional Labour Council awarded Thompson with the Bromley Lloyd Armstrong award in recognition of his tireless work in the areas of equity, inclusion, and human rights. Armstrong was a Canadian civil rights leader that helped pave the way for Canada's first Human Rights laws.[29]
In October 2024, Thompson received two awards. the Caribbean Camera newspaper presented Thompson with an Impact Award for activism, underscoring his “global impact”. [30] The Canada Leadership Summit presented Thompson with a National Builder Social Justice Award [31]
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