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The Center for Research-Action on Race Relations is acting as the complainant for Mei-Ling before the human rights commission. On Mei-Ling’s behalf, CRARR is seeking $7,000 in moral damages and $3,000 in punitive damages from each of the three respondents (the two men and ASFA).

“This is a positive development because it allows for the possibility of an earlier settlement,” said Fo Niemi, executive director of CRARR.

CRARR has requested the commission order ASFA to require its executive members to take mandatory sensitivity training on issues of race, gender and other civil rights, and to create a task force to develop ways to combat and prevent racism, sexism and sexual violence at Concordia.

“I welcome this news from the new leadership at ASFA,” Mei-Ling told the Gazette on Thursday, just after she learned ASFA had agreed to mediation. “I have faith that they will … move toward making changes … to create a less toxic work environment for everyone. I hope no one ever has to go through what I went through.”

ASFA had a deadline of Thursday this week to decide whether to go to mediation or to let the case be decided by a Human Rights Tribunal following investigation. The council voted at a special meeting on Wednesday to participate in the mediation process.

Mei-Ling’s complaint against the two former ASFA executives will now be referred to an investigator at the human rights commission. Mei-Ling was not willing to enter into a mediation process in their cases.

“In their cases, it is moving forward and I would like to see that through to the end,” she said.

mlalonde@montrealgazette.com