Wednesday, November 16, 2016
By Kate Bueckert
Jama Hagi-Yusuf filed human rights complaint over job rejection letter
Jama Hagi-Yusuf stands on a street in downtown Toronto before attending the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario on Nov. 8. Hagi-Yusuf filed a complaint after he was rejected for a job with a financial services firm. He received a response that mentioned Somalia's 'culture of resistance to authority' as one of the reasons why he wasn't a good fit for the position. (Martin Trainor/CBC)
An investment company says it regrets a University of Waterloo graduate received a job rejection letter from one of its advisors that referenced Somali culture and resistance to authority, but maintains the man was not qualified for the position.
"Integral Wealth Securities regrets and does not condone the comments made by Mr. [J. Sandy] Matheson and we emphatically state that the views expressed by him do not represent the views of Integral Wealth Securities Limited, its agents, staff or ownership," read a statement sent to CBC News from Michael Bignell, the company's senior vice president and chief compliance officer.
Jama Hagi-Yusuf applied for a job in the spring of 2015 with the Kitchener office of the financial company. The job had been posted on the website Indeed.ca and Hagi-Yusuf said he thought it was an entry-level office position.
But just hours after he applied, Hagi-Yusuf said he received a response that shocked him.
"I have read stories about how Somalia has a culture of resistance to authority. Such a culture would be quite different than the Canadian culture sees makes cutting ahead in a lineup as a great social error," the response said.
The letter went on to say that "due to lack of background" Hagi-Yusuf's application was declined.
"I don't know how to reply back to that email," Hagi-Yusuf told CBC News in July of this year. "Replying back to him wasn't even something I thought of, because what do you say to that ignorance?"
Lack of experience
Matheson confirmed to CBC News in July he wrote the letter. The company said this week he is now "a former independent agent."
Integral Wealth Securities added it still did not believe Hagi-Yusuf was qualified for the position.
"We note that the posting for which Mr. Hagi-Yusuf applied sought a candidate who had proper industry credentials, and [two to five] years of industry experience. He did not hold these credentials or have the experience, and that is why he was not offered the position," the statement said.
'We didn't get justice'
Hagi-Yusuf has taken the letter to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and is asking Integral Wealth Securities Ltd. to apologize to the Somali-Canadian community, to reevaluate their hiring practices and to compensate him financially.
There was a hearing held Nov. 8 in Toronto, but there was no resolution, Hagi-Yusuf's lawyer Saron Gebresellassi said.
"We will not be able to move forward without a public apology," she said outside the tribunal.
"We walked out because the parties couldn't come to an agreement. We didn't get justice and so we believe we can get justice at a hearing before an independent tribunal," she added.
"We already won in the court of public opinion. I have no doubt we will in the court of law."
No date has been set for the two sides to meet again.