Londoners can voice their thoughts on new police carding rules

Londoners will have a chance to chime in about Ontario’s new carding rules on Wednesday.

The policy that took effect last year banned police in Ontario from gathering identifying information arbitrarily, based on a person’s race or whereabouts in a high-crime neighbourhood in certain circumstances.

However, the ban doesn’t cover all aspects of street checks, as they are also referred to. Officers can still collect identifying information during situations like arrests or traffic stops.

A province-wide review was launched earlier this year to ensure that the new rule was working towards the government’s goal of ending racial profiling and systemic racism.

Ontario Court of Appeal judge Michael Tulloch is conducting the review — the Independent Police Oversight Review — making stops across the province to hear from communities.

“Justice Tulloch will work in consultation with the anti-racism directorate to really look at whether the actual continued use of street checks by police services and the regulation properly reflect our government’s plan to end systemic racism,” said Ontario’s Community Safety Minister Marie-France Lalonde last year in an interview with 980 CFPL.

“The situation became apparent after, potentially, there was evidence that we were identifying and racially profiling individuals. So Justice Tulloch, based on this, will help us on this,” said Lalonde.

Tulloch will also be holding meetings with police members, police associations, Indigenous communities and individuals within other communities for their insight on the new rules.

Previous public consultations have been held in Thunder Bay, Brampton, Hamilton, Ajax, Markham and Toronto. The most recent was in Windsor on Monday.

Londoners will have their chance to speak Wednesday, April 11 at the Delta Armouries at 325 Dundas St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.