Racial profiling complaint lodged against Toronto police

A class action complaint has been filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleging racial profiling by Toronto police.

The Toronto police services board and Chief Bill Blair are named in the complaint filed Tuesday by the Black Action Defense Committee.

The complaint alleges ongoing discrimination or harassment by police based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, ethnic origin and age.

Black Action Defense is seeking a declaration that racial profiling and carding involve racial discrimination and are a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

It also wants police officers to be required to carry a card telling them how to avoid engaging in racial profiling and racial discrimination.

Toronto police could not be reached to comment on the complaint's allegations, which have not been proven.

Black Action Defense is asking for $100 million compensation for the "several dozen, perhaps thousands of people" because of the "years of discrimination ... harm and suffering both past, present and future."

The group has also filed a number of lawsuits alleging racial profiling against Correctional Services Canada, Ontario's Ministry of Community Safety and Corrections, Toronto police and Peel police.