The Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, tabled a bill on Wednesday which initiates a police reform providing in particular the possibility for the government to impose guidelines to avoid discrimination.
“The bill also establishes additional accountability obligations for police forces and the power of the Minister of Public Security to establish guidelines on any subject relating to police activity,” declared the minister in the House. These guidelines may relate in particular to the absence of discrimination in police activities. “
In its report, the Action Group against Racism (GACR) noted that police stops based on race, color and ethnicity affect Aboriginal people, and particularly Aboriginal women.
The GACR recommended making the ban on random police stops compulsory.
Bill 18 tabled on Wednesday also makes various changes in police ethics, Ms. Guilbault said in the House. In particular, it gives the Ethics Commissioner a preventive and educational role in this matter and grants him the power to hold an investigation on its own initiative in certain circumstances.
Additional measures may be added to the penalties that the police ethics committee may impose.
Bill 18 also provides new means of action to act quickly in the event of a person’s disappearance, by allowing police forces to access important personal information.
More details will follow
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