Watch CBC's public forum on policing in Nova Scotia
Forum explored institutional racism, fear and how police can serve all communities
In the wake of George Floyd's killing and the demonstrations against police brutality and racism across Canada and the U.S., CBC Nova Scotia is sharing its public forum held last year on policing and institutional racism in this province.
An independent report released on March 27, 2019, found black people were street checked at a rate six times higher than white people in Halifax. People of Arab and West Asian backgrounds were also more likely to be street checked.
- CBC INVESTIGATES: Black people 3 times more likely to be street checked in Halifax, police say
- Black people in Halifax 6 times more likely to be street checked than whites
On May 1, 2019, the CBC's Portia Clark and Tom Murphy were joined by social worker Robert Wright, Miranda Cain, a community development officer for African Nova Scotian Affairs, educator Kate MacDonald and Tom Martin, a former police officer, for a community conversation about how police in Nova Scotia can meet the needs of all the communities they serve.
That community discussion happened at the Gottingen Street YMCA, where a packed room talked about the frustration and fear they feel when they have an encounter with an officer — and about the way they hope to promote institutional change.
You can watch the full discussion below. The forum begins at the 4:13 mark.