Carding

Six months after members of the Black community in Halifax requested a suspension of the practice of carding, as well as an investigation, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission still has not hired the data expert it suggests is necessary. That expert is required to determine whether racial profiling explains why Black people in HRM are three times more likely to be stopped than white people, says the Commission. Meanwhile the racist practice of carding continues, and the deadline for completion of the investigation is a moving target.

Ever since we found out about anti-Black bias in Halifax police street check practices the police department and municipal politicians have tried to make the issue go away. The hiring of an “expert” to determine whether there even is any bias at all is just the latest shameful example.

In April the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission announced that it is hiring an expert to determine whether racial profiling explains why Black people are more than three times more likely to be street checked than white people. Because there could be other reasons, apparently. Well, that investigation is already behind schedule, that expert still needs to be hired, and the Fall is the new July.