Lydia Dosu wins her Judicial Review, a major setback for York admin
- Admin
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Dear friends,Â
We are very happy to share some positive news:Â
Lydia Dosu has won her Judicial Review!
On Tuesday this week, we received the decision from the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario. The decision is public and we encourage you to share it widely.
The full decision (12 pages) is available here and below.
In its ruling, the Court found that a decision by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), to dismiss four out of five of Lydia's allegations of discrimination against York University, was unreasonable and must be set aside.
At the time of the HRTO's decision, Lydia and her legal counsel, Ron Franklin, asked the Adjudicator to reconsider, but she doubled-down on her ruling. Lydia's only path for an appeal was a high-stakes Judicial Review.
In the face of difficult odds, Lydia made the brave decision to challenge the ruling, which was successfully argued by Ron in Divisional Court.
The decision is a big victory in Lydia's ongoing fight against Anti-Black Racism in the workplace at York University, and will set an important precedent for other applicants seeking justice at the HRTO and in other jurisdictions. It means that all her original allegations have been restored and must be reviewed when the HRTO resumes its hearing of her application.
Likewise, the decision is a major defeat for York University, which continues to spend public dollars fighting Lydia at the HRTO and in the courts, including arguing against Lydia's case during the Judicial Review. York has 30 days to appeal. It remains to be seen whether it will pour more resources into challenging such a definitive decision.
In the coming weeks, the Campaign is planning to host an online pan-Canadian panel discussion about the ruling, featuring Lydia, Ron, and other special guests who will expand on the Court's decision, its impact on Lydia's fight against York, and the precedent it sets for other discrimination cases, including Prof. Aimé Avolonto's. Details of the panel discussion will be announced soon.
In the wake of this inspiring victory, the Campaign would like to thank Lydia for her bravery, determination, and commitment to this fight; and Ron for making it happen, from the very first strategy discussion to arguing the case in court. Congratulations!
A huge thanks also goes to all the Campaign supporters and allies who attended the Judicial Review and supported Lydia and Ron, and who continue to build the Campaign and promote the cases. Many, many thanks!
Finally, despite this victory, we continue to face an uphill battle in this fight, especially in raising the funds to cover legal and campaign expenses.
While York admin can draw on seemingly unlimited public resources, we have to fundraise every single dollar. If you or your organization can afford to make a donation, we would appreciate the support. Click here to donate.
Again, our sincerest thanks to Lydia, Ron, the legal team, and all of you for helping make this victory possible. Let's build on the momentum and win the next battle in this fight!
In solidarity,Â
Campaign Against Anti-Black Racism
A network of students, faculty, trade unionists, and community members in support of Lydia Dosu and Prof. Aimé Avolonto