African Canadian Community Open Letter to Ernie Eves, Premier of Ontario
July 12, 2005
October 30, 2002
Hon. Ernie Eves
Premier of Ontario
Legislative Building
Room 281
Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Dear Premier Eves:
The Toronto Star recently released a series of reports validating what the African Canadian community has known for some time: African Canadians are subjected to racial profiling by the police more than any other racialized group.
The Toronto Star’s analysis of the police’s own statistics illustrate that in certain cases where police have discretion to use personal judgment, African Canadians receive harsher treatment than Whites. The data further showed that African Canadian accused represent nearly 27 per cent of all violent charges; this is despite the fact that the latest census figures report that only 8.1 per cent of the population list their skin colour as Black. Furthermore, an African Canadian charged with simple drug possession is more likely to be taken to a police station than a White person facing the same charge. The Toronto Star’s analysis, which looks at statistics from 1996 to 2001, is an extension of the comprehensive findings that were tabled by the Report of the Commission on Systemic Racism in the Criminal Justice System in December 1995. To date none of the recommendations made in the Commission’s Report have been implemented.
The denial among Toronto’s police and political leadership that racism exists within our police services is insulting to African Canadians. Particularly disheartening is Chief Julian Fantino’s swift denial of the problem and the message that it sends to the police officers under his command that racism need not be taken seriously, let alone concretely addressed. The African Canadian Community is calling on Premier Ernie Eves to show stronger leadership and foresight on this issue as we do not have faith in Chief Fantino or Mayor Mel Lastman to take the necessary and appropriate action to address racial profiling.
The African Canadian Community is pleased that the issues of racial profiling and discriminatory police practices have been brought to the fore for public discussion. However, we fail to see how another review of the police force’s practice, procedures and community outreach initiatives will solve systemic racial discrimination within the police force.
There is no need for another review and we question the independence of Mr. Justice Dubin who has been retained by the Chief of Police. Furthermore, we query whether Justice Dubin has the requisite expertise in anti-racism analysis and practice, and we question his ability to fully understand the systemic entrenchment and manifestations of anti-Black racism within police services. We are doubtful that the review will bring about the urgent reforms needed to address racial profiling and we do not have confidence in this process.
A number of sound reports - several commissioned by governments - as well as solid social science research papers on anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system and in police services already exist. These reports make numerous recommendations and outline proactive measures that could alleviate, if not entirely eliminate racist practices towards African Canadians and improve the system of policing for all Ontarians. These reports include:
- Report of the Commission on Systemic Racism in the Ontario Justice System, David Cole and Margaret Gittens, 1995.
- Stephen Lewis’ Report on Race Relations in Ontario, 1992.
- The Report of the Race Relations and Policing Task Force, 1992, Clare Lewis
- Towards a New Beginning: The Report and Action Plan of the Four-Level Government/African Canadian Working Group, 1992, John G. Dennison, et. al.
- Review of Race Relations Practices of the Metropolitan Police Force, 1992, Allan G. Andrews, Metropolitan Auditor, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto.
- “The Usual Suspects: Race, Police Stops and Perceptions of Criminal Injustice” Scott Wortley, Criminology, (forthcoming in 2002)
To date, many of the recommendations outlined in the above reports have not been implemented. To call for another inquiry in the face of common knowledge and incontrovertible supporting evidence about racial profiling and discrimination appears to be nothing more than a stalling tactic by Chief Fantino. The time has come to move beyond studies, inquiries and reviews towards working with the African Canadian Community to take concrete action and implement solutions.
Towards this end, the African Canadian Community calls upon Premier Ernie Eves to do the following:
1. Establish an Independent Police Complaints and Oversight body to hold the police accountable for their actions and address community concerns regarding issues of racial profiling.
2. Work with the federal government to provide adequate resources to the Black community to develop and implement a community-based documentation project whereby African Canadians can gather the stories and complaints from African Canadians who are victims of racial profiling.
3. Establish a process to implement the recommendations that have been made in the reports on policing, along with an independent audit mechanism to review the effectiveness of this implementation process every two years.
African Canadians have a long history of and resistance and resilience in the face of oppression. We have proven ourselves to be resourceful in our commitment to justice and fair treatment. African Canadians are equally entitled to respect and fairness by the police who profess to serve and protect all of us. We see this as an opportune moment to work in partnership with the police and our government leaders at all levels to bring about much needed systemic change. Failure to solve the problems outlined in this letter and to act on these three recommendations at the domestic level will leave us little choice but to pursue remedies through human rights mechanisms available at the international level.
African Canadian Association
African Canadian Legal Clinic
African Canadian Social Development Council
Black Action Defense Committee
Black Women for Progress
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Centre for Social Justice
Congress of Black Women
Cross Edge Network
Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario
Global African Congress
Harriet Tubman Community Organization
Jamaican Canadian Association
MIDAYNTA Association of Somali Service Agencies
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
Ontario Federation of Labour
Raglan Vaughn Residents Association
Sankofa Heritage Foundation
Somali Immigrant Aid Organization
The Organization of Parents of Black Children
Urban Alliance on Race Relations