NDP calls on Ford to take action on OHRC policy to eliminate racial profiling

KITCHENER – Laura Mae Lindo, the Ontario NDP’s Anti-Racism critic and Chair of the ONDP Black Caucus, called on the Ford government to empower the province’s Anti-Racism Directorate to fully implement the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) new policy to support law enforcement to eliminate racial profiling. The OHRC presented their plan to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police on Friday.

“The Ford government should use its power to take action on the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s policy to help law enforcement eliminate racial profiling.

Doug Ford’s solicitor general can, and should, empower Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate to begin working on the OHRC recommendations immediately.

The Ford government should be supporting Ontario’s police to tackle racism. Police have a concrete course of action to stop racial profiling in their hands, but need the support of the Ford government to move forward.

Racial profiling hurts racialized communities in Ontario, with a deeply negative impact on Indigenous and Black people.

The Ford government should be doing everything in its power to stop the damaging and illegal practice of racial profiling.

And they should take action now.”