CRRF welcomes OHRC Racial Profiling Report

"Racialized communities have been saying for a long time that they are being unnecessarily targeted by the police and other organizations," said Case. "While the OHRC's report does not provide statistical data, it does give us evidence of the very real impact experienced by the individuals and families that have been affected by racial profiling.

"It is also important to note that the report does not single out any one organization. In this regard it is with great dismay that I heard Chief Fantino's entirely negative comments about the OHRC report. Nothing will be achieved by burying ones head in the sand on the issues addressed by the OHRC. The Toronto Police Services Board must make a clear declaration that racial profiling among other forms of racism exists and, it must assert its authority to move ahead with a concerted reform agenda," Case added.

The OHRC's report results from a widely publicised call for those who believe that they have been affected by racial profiling to report their stories to the Commission. Although the report does not "name names", those making submissions were required to identify themselves. Among its 19 recommendations, the OHRC calls for the establishment of a government secretariat that would report annually on issues of racism and monitor the implementation of recommendations from previous reports.

"We welcome the many concrete recommendations of this report. It is a call to action to all relevant government agencies (municipal, provincial and federal) to address the problem. If implemented, we will see improved relationships between racial minority communities and the various services that have a clear responsibility toward the public," said Dr. Karen Mock, Executive Director of the Foundation. As the Chief Commissioner noted in his statement, all of us may be guilty of racial profiling without realizing it. What the OHRC's report does is to help us be aware of how we conduct ourselves. The CRRF is committed to continuing to work with the OHRC, communities and government departments at every level across the country to address and resolve the problem of racial profiling, added Dr. Mock.