Victory for migrant farmworkers in Canada in the racial profiling case
A human-rights tribunal in Ontario, Canada, has delivered a historic ruling in an almost decade-old legal battle between 54 migrant farm workers and the Ontario Provincial Police.Last month, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) ruled that the farm workers were targeted by police solely on the basis of their skin colour and their status as migrant farmworkers.In November last year, the tribunal heard the lawsuit by the migrant farm workers which included several Trinidad and Jamaican men who alleged racist policing practices.They were represented by the group Justice for Migrant Workers. Their lawsuit stemmed from an October 2013 sexual assault near Bayham, Ontario, when the Ontario Provincial Police did a DNA sweep to collect samples from approximately 95 migrant farmworkers employed in the region.The tribunal found that the polices conduct during the DNA sweep was contrary to section 1 of Ontarios Human Rights Code and that it violated the workers right to be free from discrimination by improperly targeting them on the basis of race, skin colour, and place of origin.
"If the DNA canvass was discriminatory and in violation of the Code, the success of the DNA canvass does not justify the conduct. In other words, the end cannot justify the means."In the context of these migrant workers who visibly stand out, and are a clearly differentiated minority group from this rural white community, one can readily see from this evidence how relying solely or predominantly on their migrant worker status in selecting them for investigation of a crime when additional information was available, subjected them to over-investigation by police.Attorney Chris Ramsaroop said the tribunals ruling was a significant victory by a group of courageous workers whose strength in numbers and a burning desire for change lead to todays victory.These workers fought and will continue to fight to end criminalization, and racist police practices. This isnt about a few bad apples though; the entire system is rotten to its core.
Monetary compensation was ordered for Leon Logan, the lead applicant in the complaint, and the parties reached an agreement for the remaining 53 ..
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In reply to sgtdjones
Congratulations!
Plz don't spend your winnings on choo-choo trains and barbie dolls.
Ah sending it to help the poor in T&T.
Some got no water, electricity, poor roads, no jobs, 6th in crime, and over 400 murders
You are lucky, still living at home, are you?Did you get your topup?
Food card holders get late top-ups
Several angry and embarrassed food card holders were finally able to make their grocery purchases on Friday, after the cards were finally credited with their usual amounts in time for their month-end shopping.
Scores of food card holders had previously complained that they were unable to do so because the cards were not topped up on time.