The Nova Scotia NDP have brought forward a bill that would immediately place a moratorium on police street checks — the controversial practice of stopping people, who aren’t suspect of a crime, on foot or in a vehicle.
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Currently, a Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission report is in the works that will guide how government and police address the issue that has long been called discriminatory by members of minority groups.
The Police Street Checks Act, tabled Friday by Halifax Needham MLA Lisa Roberts, would bring much more immediate change.
“The intent of the bill is really to be responsive to the stories that we have heard and that African Nova Scotians in particular have shared for a long time,” explained Roberts.
“The bill would put an immediate moratorium on the practice of street checks and also set out a process for moving forward once the human rights commission process is completed.”
“We don’t think there’s a reason to wait,” said Roberts.
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If passed, the bill would ensure police and citizen interactions are consensual and prohibit officers from collecting, releasing or retaining information about someone who has not been arrested or charged with an offence.
It would also see a panel appointed by the Minister of Justice that would consist of at least three people. At least one of the panel members would have to be a representative of the African Nova Scotian community.
“I think at this point, it’s clear enough that it should be stopped,” said Tiffany Gordon, a spokesperson for Working While Black Nova Scotia, an advocate group that deals with workplace racism in the province.
“Although it is good that the human rights commission has come in and tried to look at the data from a different perspective … we would like it stopped regardless of what comes out.”
Premier Stephen McNeil has put his support behind the commission and indicated his government will await their findings before proceeding further.
“We’re gathering the evidence and a decision independent from government, from all the stakeholders,” he said. “We’ll work with everyone, bring back the evidence to determine what are the next steps.”
Justice minister and former police officer, Mark Furey, echoed the premier’s stance on waiting for the results before taking any action.
“I don’t want to react to circumstances. I want to be able to respond in an informed manner to ensure the outcomes are meaningful and intended to serve the purposes we would want them to,” he said.
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission’s report is expected to be released in the fall.