Fred Christie

A caribbean-Canadian chauffeur and avid Montreal Canadiens fan, Christie favourited a local tavern and visited in 1936 with two friends. After being asked to leave due to the new managers not wanting Black guests, and refusing, police ultimately had Christie and his friends removed that night. Christie sued the tavern, his legal fight was championed and supported financially by Montreal’s Black community, in a case that pitted the merchant’s freedom of commerce against Christie’s right to equal treatment. Ten years later, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of the merchants right to choose, not Christie’s right to be served, effectively legalizing discrimination in goods and services.

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