The Nova Scotia RCMP are planning to release a formal apology to the African Nova Scotian community for years of racist behavior including the use of street checks.
Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, Twila Grosse, who was made the first Black woman to be part of cabinet last week, says she herself has experienced discrimination at the hands of the RCMP.
“I understand the implications of the street checks. I understand what it feels like to be stopped, and for no particular reason,” said Grosse.
She says it was about 15 to 20 years ago when an officer pulled her over while driving in the HRM. She says there is no doubt in her mind that the sole reason she was pulled over is because she is a Black driver.
“It’s something that’s quite intimidating when you’re stopped and [you ask yourself] ‘Why? What did I do? What’s wrong?’” said Grosse.
The RCMP plans to release the formal apology in 2024 and are holding community engagement sessions leading up to it in order to hear feedback from the African Nova Scotian community. A press release shared by the RCMP earlier this week, says the consultations will also inform an action plan that will follow the apology. Grosse says the apology is much overdue, but looks forward to the consultation process, and just hopes sincere action comes out of it.
“An apology is great, but what comes after that? What is the plan of action going forward? Because sometimes we see that apologies can be hollow,” said Grosse.
Street checks were officially banned in Nova Scotia after a report in 2019 found that African Nova Scotians were six times more likely to be randomly stopped or street checked by police than the rest of the population.
