A group of about 40 people marched against racism in downtown Halifax Tuesday, to speak out against what they say are unfair hiring practices and intolerant workplaces in the city.

The group gathered at the North Branch Library on Gottingen Street to join a rally organized by Charles Adams.

Adams, who is African-Nova Scotian, works as a building official with the Halifax Regional Municipality. He has an ongoing human rights complaint about conditions in his workplace.

He claimed that he has endured a workplace where racist jokes are tolerated, and his career has been thwarted.

"I've had to suffer through jokes that were passed around in the office. And, with all the facts being known, they're turning a blind eye to my complaints," Adams said.

"I've complained of a number of different things — nepotism, favouritism, discrimination."

Chanting and carrying signs, the crowd marched behind Adams to the Nova Scotia legislature and then to city hall.

Bonita Fraser, who works in the call centre at the Halifax water commission, said she has faced insults over the phone.

"There's racial slurs like 'You black bitch'," Fraser said. "This is just part of HRM itself."

She said that she received little support from her managers when she complained. Rather, Fraser said she was made to feel that she was making it up.

The mayor responds

Mayor Peter Kelly, who addressed the crowd from the steps of city hall, said the municipality is trying to eliminate racism in the workplace.

"Nobody's perfect. But we strive to be an inclusive workplace, and we strive to do what we can to make sure it's full and complete," Kelly said.

Adams said he's glad the mayor is concerned, but he's yet to be convinced.

"I'll adopt a wait and see attitude because we've heard many words before and here we are," he said.

Dave Curry, who lives in Halifax, said that racist acts in Nova Scotia — such as the burning cross planted on the lawn of a family in a small community in Hants County early Sunday morning — are more common than most people realize.

"I used to live close to that area when I was a teenager, and went to high school there, and that didn't surprise me one lick," he said.

"It's typical of the province. There's a lot of places around here that are like that, especially once you get outside of the city in rural areas where the black communities are smaller. They've been dealing with this stuff for a long time."