NDP MPP responds to alleged carding by immigration officers

TORONTO — Faisal Hassan, NDP MPP for York South-Weston, released the following statement in response to a CityNews report that immigration officers have been allegedly carding people in York South-Weston neighbourhoods:

“I was deeply troubled to hear a report of people of colour allegedly being stopped in the York South-Weston area by immigration officers wanting to check their identification.

Carding is a discriminatory practice. People have a right to walk down the street without fear of being asked to prove they’re entitled to be in Canada because of the colour of their skin.

We need answers from Justin Trudeau’s Liberals about what immigration officers are doing on their watch — and if carding is happening, it needs to stop. Doug Ford’s Conservatives have refused to acknowledge that carding happens, and that it ruins lives, and continuing to ignore this unconstitutional practice is wrong.

All levels of government must commit to destroying the data collected from innocent people through carding and end the discriminatory practice immediately. The NDP will keep up the fight to make this a reality in Ontario.”