KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – Not to suggest racism is a thing of the past, but there will come a day when we look back upon police street checks in Nova Scotia with the same puzzled repulsion we feel when we think about segregated movie theatres, the bulldozing of Africville, and other blatantly racist episodes in the history of Nova Scotia.
Make no mistake, street checks are racist. For one, the numbers show it. When you’re Black you’re three times more likely to be carded than white people. I have attended community meetings in Halifax and Lucasville, and whether street checks are unfairly singling out Black Nova Scotians is never an issue of contention. They know.
As we reported last week a members of the African Nova Scotian community and their allies are collecting signatures for a petition asking that the racist practice be banned province-wide. Street checks aren’t just a Halifax issue, it happens everywhere.
Here is how you can help.
Download the petition here, keep it close, and as you go about your daily business get people to sign. The group is aiming for a 1000 signatures. Let’s make sure we meet that target.
Return the petition by April 18, that same website has all the info you need. Some time after that date the Nova Scotia NDP will table the petition at the legislature.
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