A broad and sweeping joint effort to repair relations between the Town of Truro and the African Nova Scotian community in that town is lauded as a historical event, not just for Truro or Nova Scotia, but perhaps even for Canada.
“I wrote this piece for the brown and black children who have to walk everyday in this world under a microscope that wasn’t created to get a better view, to understand, or to be seen, but to be defeated.”
A poem and an essay by Guyleigh Johnson.
Went to today’s Halifax Board of Police Commissioners meeting, and heard how a petition to ban street checks is growing by leaps and bounds. Also, how and when the carding database will be purged. And a group complains that street checks never ended, despite the moratorium.
Early this afternoon some 50 African Nova Scotians and their allies (and 4 very visible cops) gathered in downtown Halifax , to once again call attention to the racism that pervades Nova Scotia politics and society. Speakers included Kirk Johnson, Jason MacLean, Angee Bowden, Raymond Sheppard, and many more.
No apology will be forthcoming from Halifax Regional Police (HRP) and HRM RCMP for the damage inflicted on the African Nova Scotian community through the racist practice of street checks. This despite a unanimous motion by the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners that asked for such an apology.
Two Halifax residents are circulating a petition calling on the Halifax Regional Municipality and the provincial government to ban the racist practice of police checks.
We interviewed Toronto journalist, writer and community organizer Desmond Cole, who has been involved in the fight against carding in Toronto for many years. Turns out that much of what’s been happening here in NS occurred in Ontario as well, just a bit earlier. In other words, there are lessons we can learn.
An Ontario judge asked to review new street check regulations in Ontario similar to the ones Nova Scotia is contemplating, found that we’re better off just banning the racist practice.
I went to the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners meeting this afternoon when it recommended that street checks be suspended.. Afterwards I talked to some members of the African Nova Scotian community who think only a ban is good enough.
Media release and open letter to Minister Furey by the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition : “Street checks are illegal and must stop before we can sit to discuss their impact. We are not interested in negotiating away our inherent human and Charter rights.”