Urge your Premier to empower communities and support a comprehensive police
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Content warning: This message includes references to racism and police violence

Dear John,

For decades, Black individuals and communities have been speaking out about how
they experience policing in Canada — including surveillance, unjust encounters
with police officers due to practices like carding and racial profiling, and a
system which treats Black people more harshly for the same crimes, resulting in
a disproportionate number of Black people in prisons.

Recent tragic incidents once again underscore the urgent need for fundamental
change. Wellness checks – calls for assistance from either individuals or
concerned relatives – particularly for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour
have ended in excessive use of force or even death.

People who call 911 for help should not worry they will end up facing
enforcement measures or be shot dead by police. It’s time for our leaders to
listen: racism is not up for debate – it’s systemic.

Please send a message to your Premier now to call for new, transformative
approaches to upholding public safety that are not racist and protect everyone’s
human rights equally.
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In the last few months, there have been several examples of violence against
Black, Indigenous and People of Colour by police departments and the RCMP in
various parts of the country, after the individuals or their loved ones called
for help.

In April, 26-year-old D’Andre Campbell was shot in his home by Peel police officers. In May, 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet , who is Black and Indigenous, plummeted to her death from the 24th floor of
her apartment building after municipal police officers entered the residence in
Toronto. In June, 62-year-old Ejaz Ahmed Choudry was shot and killed by police in Mississauga. 26-year-old Chantel Moore , an Indigenous woman originally from BC, was shot dead by Edmundston Police in
New Brunswick.

These are not the only interactions in recent months that have resulted in
deaths, and they are not isolated incidents.

In 2018, The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s interim report on anti-Black
racism in policing stated that Black people in Toronto are up to 20 times more likely to be shot dead by
police than white people. According to a Vancouver Police Board study,
Indigenous and Black people are significantly over-represented in street checks
conducted by the Vancouver Police Department. Numerous other reports point to
the same stark, disgraceful reality across Canada.

Communities have told officials what they need, and it isn’t more enforcement. It’s time to act on what Black, Indigenous and People of Colour have been
working tirelessly to expose for years: we cannot wait any longer to address
systemic racism in policing across the country.

Urge your Premier to empower communities and support a comprehensive police
reform agenda.
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Governments and police agencies in Canada have consistently failed to implement
the shamefully long list of recommendations to address anti-Black racism in
Canada – from numerous UN human rights reviews and comprehensive reports by
independent bodies and experts in Canada.

The time for action is long overdue. Thank you for sending a message to your Premier
[[link removed]] in solidarity with frontline groups and activists in communities across the
country who work courageously to expose systemic racism. Thank you for demanding
justice for the growing number of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour who
have been wrongly arrested, mistreated or killed by police across Canada, and
pressing for real change.

Yours in solidarity,

Alex


Alex Neve
Secretary General
Amnesty International Canada



P.S. Systemic anti-Black racism is not in any way new or recent. It long
predates Canadian confederation and has been a stark and disgraceful reality in
this country throughout the 153 years since. Please help end systemic anti-Black racism in Canada by calling on your Premier
to support new, transformative approaches to upholding public safety.
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