(OTTAWA) - Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands), released the following statement:
“The demands of Black Lives Matter Toronto Tent City require urgent implementation. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms declares all people equal before and under the law yet we see, again and again, that the privileged can act with impunity while the rights of others are so often erased," Ms. May said.
"The issue here is justice, and justice is not blind in Canada. Discriminatory policing tactics like carding unfairly target Black and other minority communities, and a recent report by the Office of the Correctional Investigator illustrates systemic problems within the justice system: ‘The federal incarceration rate for Blacks is three times their representation rate in general society.’
“I urge Green Party members and all Canadians to support Black Lives Matter Toronto, who have issued a call to action. We must listen and act."
Joe Foster, Green Party Human Rights critic, said: “In a democratic society that believes in equality and human rights, dialogue must always be our first and constant resource, not intimidation or intolerance. The Green Party of Canada stands with Black Lives Matter Toronto in their pursuit of equality and justice."
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
Green Party of Canada | Parti vert du Canada
[email protected]
mobile: (613) 614-4916