Community News
Police collecting race-based data a waste of time?
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“Why do we play these games? We fought against it initially because we didn’t trust them.” Elder Louis March (Founder Zero Gun Violence Movement)
On December 27th, 2019, Andrew Palamarchuk wrote an article for Toronto.com called, “Analysis: Why are Toronto Police to start collecting race-based data?” It introduced to the general community that starting January 1st, 2020, Toronto Police Officers will be collecting race data for every interaction involving use of force and Level 3 searches (aka. strip-searches). In his article, he interviews some key people: Suelyn Knight (Service Manager of the Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Unit), Mai Phan (Toronto Police’s Race Data Expert), Barbara McLean (Deputy Police Chief, in charge of Human Resources), Louis March (Founder of Zero Gun Violence Movement), and Jooyoung Lee (Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto).
Andrew Palamarchuk did a great job of documenting what is currently happening with the story, and I wanted to add to it by taking it a step further. In this article, I am going to bring light to some facts that I would encourage all readers to consider. It is important to dig deeper, sift through the noise, and this is exactly what I would like to do for the Afro-Caribbean Community. This article was initially shared with me on Facebook. Elder Louis March had circulated the article for the community, and in the article he made a statement that caught my attention.
“We didn’t trust the police (in the 1980s), and we didn’t trust them to do this right. We thought that the collection of race-based data would be done in such a way to promote excessive policing on the black community … so we didn’t trust the process, we didn’t trust the intention,”
“Hmmm,” I thought to myself, “What could he have possibly meant by that?” Instead of making assumptions, I went straight to the source. I called Elder Louis, and he gladly shared his thoughts on what is now called the largest community partnership initiative in the history of the Toronto Police Service.
“So elder,” I queried, “In that article, you were the only one who seemed weary of this community partnership initiative. Why is that?”
Elder chuckles, “ Why do we play these games? We fought against data collection initially because we didn’t trust them. We didn’t trust the source. We didn’t trust the system. We didn’t trust the people behind it. In Canada, force is backed up by legislation. The information gathered will be based on the interpretation of the officer. Yes, they are going to hire black people to be a part of it. Yes, they are going to find out what the community thinks about it. The academics are saying, ‘Let’s get our data. It will help us make our case.’ The fear? That they are doing this to justify the over policing of our communities; now they are just branding it differently. Any effort to collect data is just going to justify that black people commit more crime than anyone. ”
Speaking with the elder had peeled off another layer to the story, so I thought I would then visit the Toronto Police Services website to gather some information directly from the source. In a message directly from Chief Mark Saunders, he states that the purpose of the new policy and strategy is to identify, to monitor, and to eliminate potential systemic racism. Collecting the data will allow them to analyse, and report on it. It will also eliminate speculation about police interactions with the community, and allow both the public and the service to learn from their experiences. According to Saunders, this is a pivotal point in the history of the Toronto Police Services.
In Palamarchuk’s article, he also gathered some quotes from members of the police force directly involved in this initiative. Suelyn Knight maintains, “The data will be collected using an officer’s perception of the subject’s race, not how subjects identify themselves. Officers will have to check off one of the seven categories for each subject: Black, East/Southeast Asian, Indigenous, Latino, Middle Eastern, South Asian and White.” Mai Phan admitted that a certain amount of error in the data is expected. One source of error could include officers being dishonest in their selection of categories.
All right! It is time to take it there. It is time to flush our exactly why this is being considered, “A waste of time,” by some of our black community activists. With the help of Community Educator, and Managing Director at Hear 2 Help Dave “Rankin” Lindsay, we were able to dig into the archives of police interaction with the black community, and we did so based on factual research compiled by Dr. Ajamu Nangwaya.
Dr. Ajamu Nangwaya has his Doctorate in Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Toronto, and has been active in the Canadian labour movement around equity and class struggle issues. Dr. Ajamu has over 25 years of experience in community organizing and advocacy. He is a former Vice-President of CUPE Ontario and served as a Vice-President of CUPE Toronto District Council. Alongside all of that, he helps with the organization of the Network for Pan-Afrikan Solidarity. He compiled a “Fact Sheet on Police Violence against the African Community in Canada,” which was last updated in July 2013. What I am about to present in this article can and must be reference checked. Below are some accounts of police brutality, and past efforts to work with the community to end race issues between the police and the black community.
April 6th, 1911
F. Witsue, an African man, was arrested for allegedly stealing a diamond ring and money from the home of a white family in Edmonton, Alberta. A 15-year-old white girl, Hazel Huff, claimed that she was assaulted and drugged by Mr. Witsue. She also asserted that she had no idea what happened to her while unconscious.
It was later revealed that the young woman made up the incident. Nine days after initial reports of Hazel’s maltreatment at the hands of a black intruder, the young white woman confessed that her entire story had been a racial red herring.
The chief of police in the city of Edmonton was aware of this lie seven days before Hazel’s public confession, but he and her family wanted to whip up anti-African immigration excitement. It was their hope that the federal government would be pressured into further restricting the presence of Africans in Canada.
August 26th, 1979
35-year-old Albert Johnson was shot to death in his apartment. Two white police officers, William Inglis and Walter Cargnelli, were charged with manslaughter in this killing. Johnson’s killers were acquitted in November 1980.
December 8th, 1988
Michael Wade Lawson, a 17-year-old Mississauga (Ontario) teenager, was shot in the back of his head while joyriding in a stolen car. Two white police officers Anthony Lelaragni and Darren Longpre were charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault, respectively. An all-white jury acquitted Michael’s killers on April 7th, 1992. Several days later, over 300 people protested the “not guilty” verdict in downtown Toronto.
December 13th, 1988
The government of Ontario created the Race Relation and Policing Task Force in response to the killing of Lester Donaldson and Michael Wade Lawson.
Clare Lewis, the Public Complaints Commissioner of Metropolitan Toronto, was appointed to head the task force, which was empowered with the directive “To address promptly the very serious concerns of visible minority communities respecting the interaction of the police community with their own.”
Two moderates from the African community were appointed to the task force: Dr. Ralph Agard and Roy Williams.
August 1990
The new Police Services Act in Ontario proclaimed the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and this body was charged with the responsibility of carrying out “Criminal investigations into circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.”
This independent investigatory body is staffed by former police officers and the community does not view it as being sufficiently distanced from the police that it is called upon to scrutinize.
September 29th, 1994
Albert Moses, 41, was killed in his room in downtown Toronto. A white cop, Jeffrey Vance, shot Albert in his face and alleged that the latter attacked his partner with a hammer. The SIU cleared the killer of any wrongdoing.
October 19th, 2002
The Toronto Star published the findings of its landmark investigation into police racial profiling in Toronto.
It obtained access to a police database that recorded 480,000 incidents of police contact with civilians from 1996 to 2001, which generated a ticket or arrest. It was clearly established that Africans received racially differential treatment from the police.
The Star’s report uncovered the following racist police practices:
Most people charged with simple drug possession were free to go home, on a promise to appear in court and at a police station. Whites were released on the scene 76.5% of the time while blacks were released 61.8% of the time.
The difference in treatment was even more apparent at the next level of police decision-making. Of those taken to the station, blacks were held behind bars for a court appearance 15.5% of the time. Whites were kept in jail awaiting a bail hearing in 7.3% of cases.
The Toronto Star’s investigation also uncovered the existence of the “DWB or Driving While Black” phenomenon.
This is only a portion of what was found on this fact sheet, but it is enough to see that enough data has been collected. So my question to the community and the Toronto Police Services is, how much more data do you really need?
Full research by Dave Rankin – Toronto Caribbean News
BY KHADIJA KARIM
Have you ever forgotten someone’s name, or where you left your phone and thought, “Why can’t I remember anything?” Forgetting might feel frustrating, but it turns out that forgetting things can actually be good for you. Experts believe forgetting might be an important part of human survival and could even have benefits.
You probably think that remembering everything would be better, right? If you remembered every tiny detail, like what you had for breakfast three weeks ago, or the colour of every car you saw today, you would be overwhelmed. Our brains are constantly receiving information, and if we didn’t forget some of it, we wouldn’t be able to focus on what really matters at that time.
Forgetting helps you clear out information you don’t need, and it helps your brain remember the most useful memories. Think about how hard it would be to focus on important things if your mind was filled with random thoughts. Forgetting helps you stay focused and keeps your mind from getting lost.
So, why would evolution make us forget things? Early humans had to deal with dangerous environments that changed quickly. They needed to remember things that helped them survive, like where to find food, or how to avoid predators. They didn’t need to remember every small detail, like what happened last week. Forgetting information, they didn’t need allowed them to make quick decisions based on what was most important at that moment in time.
For example, if you remember a recent storm, you might make sure to stay inside or find shelter. If you remembered every storm you’d ever seen, it would be harder to make decisions about the present. Forgetting irrelevant details helps you stay on your feet and helps you react faster to new situations. This ability to forget likely helped early humans survive and make better decisions in their everyday lives.
Next time you forget something, don’t be too hard on yourself! Forgetting is a natural part of how our brains work and can actually help you stay focused on the important things. It might seem annoying at times, but it’s helping you make better decisions. Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive in a world that’s always changing!
Community News
Blink equity dives deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in Canadian law firms
BY ADRIAN REECE
Representation in the workforce has been a topic of conversation for years, particularly in positions of influence, where people can shift laws and create fair policies for all races. Representation in the legal system is an even more talked about subject, with many Black men being subjected to racism in courts and not being given fair sentencing by judges.
The fear of Black men entering the system is something that plagues mothers and fathers as they watch their children grow up.
Blink Equity, a company led by Pako Tshiamala, has created an audit called the Blink Score. This audit targets law firms and seeks to identify specific practices reflecting racial diversity among them in Toronto. A score is given based on a few key performance indicators. These KPIs include hiring practices, retention of diverse talent, and racial representation at every level.
The Blink Score project aims to analyze law firms in Ontario with more than 50 lawyers. The Blink Score is a measurement tool that holds law firms accountable for their representation. Firms will be ranked, and the information will be made public for anyone to access.
This process is ambitious and seeks to give Canadian citizens a glimpse into how many people are represented across the legal field. While more and more people have access to higher education, there is still a gap between obtaining that higher education and working in a setting where change can be made. The corporate world, at its highest points, is almost always one race across the board, and very rarely do people of colour get into their ranks. They are made out to be an example of how anyone from a particular race can achieve success. However, this is the exception, not the rule. Nepotism plays a role in societal success; connections are a factor, and loyalty to race, even if people are acquainted.
People of colour comprise 16% of the total lawyers across the province. Positions at all levels range from 6% to 27%. These numbers display the racial disparity among law practitioners in positions of influence. Becoming a lawyer is undoubtedly a huge accomplishment. Still, when entering the workforce with other seasoned professionals, your academic accolades become second to your professional achievements and your position in the company.
What do these rankings ultimately mean? A potential for DEI-inclusive practices, perhaps? That isn’t something that someone would want in this kind of profession. This kind of audit also opens law firms up to intense criticism from people who put merit above all other aspects of professional advancement. On the other hand, there is a potential for firms to receive clientele based on their blink score, with higher ones having the chance to bring in more race-based clients who can help that law firm grow.
It is only the beginning, and changes will undoubtedly be made in the legal field as Blink Equity continues to dive deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in these law firms. This audit has the power to shift the power scale, and place people of colour in higher positions. There are hierarchies in any profession, and while every Lawyer is qualified to do what they are trained to do, it is no shock that some are considerably better than others at their jobs. The ones who know how to use this audit to their advantage will rise above the others and create a representative image for themselves among their population.
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
We are living in a world where promises of health and safety came packaged in a tiny vial, one injection was promoted by powerful governments, supported by respected institutions, and championed by legacy media worldwide. Sadly, beneath the surface, a darker truth emerged.
Reports from around the globe began to tell a different story—one that was not covered in the news cycles or press conferences. Families torn apart by unexpected losses, communities impacted in ways that few could have foreseen, and millions questioning what they had been told to believe.
Those who dared to question were silenced or dismissed (the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper being one of those sources). “Trust the science,” we were told. “It’s for the greater good.” As time went on, the truth became impossible to ignore.
Now, I bring more news to light—information that demands your attention and scrutiny. The time to passively listen has passed; this is the moment to understand what’s really at stake.
I reviewed an interview with Naomi Wolf, journalist and CEO of Daily Clout, which detailed the serious vaccine-related injuries that Pfizer and the FDA knew of by early 2021, but tried to hide from the public. I was introduced to “The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer’s Crimes Against Humanity.” What I learned is that Pfizer knew about the inadequacies of its COVID-19 vaccine trials and the vaccine’s many serious adverse effects, and so did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA promoted the vaccines anyway — and later tried to hide the data from the public.
To produce “The Pfizer Papers,” Naomi, and Daily Clout Chief Operations Officer Amy Kelly convened thousands of volunteer scientists and doctors to analyze Pfizer data and supplementary data from other public reporting systems to capture the full scope of the vaccines’ effects. They obtained the data from the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency, a group of more than 30 medical professionals and scientists who sued the FDA in 2021 and forced the agency to release the data, after the FDA refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request.
It was then that the federal court ordered the agency to release 450,000 internal documents pertaining to the licensing of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The data release was significantly and the documents so highly technical and scientific that according to Naomi, “No journalist could have the bandwidth to go through them all.”
The “Pfizer Papers” analysts found over 42,000 case reports detailing 158,893 adverse events reported to Pfizer in the first three months The centerpiece of “The Pfizer Papers” is the effect that the vaccine had on human reproduction. The papers reveal that Pfizer knew early on that the shots were causing menstrual issues. The company reported to the FDA that 72% of the recorded adverse events were in women. Of those, about 16% involved reproductive disorders and functions. In the clinical trials, thousands of women experienced: daily bleeding, hemorrhaging, and passing of tissue, and many other women reported that their menstrual cycle stopped completely.
Pfizer was aware that lipid nanoparticles from the shots accumulated in the ovaries and crossed the placental barrier, compromising the placenta and keeping nutrients from the baby in utero. According to the data, babies had to be delivered early, and women were hemorrhaging in childbirth.
Let us take us to another part of the world, where research has been done on other pharmaceutical companies. A group of Argentine scientists identified 55 chemical elements — not listed on package inserts — in the: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, CanSino, Sinopharm and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines (according to a study published last week in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research).
The samples also contained 11 of the 15 rare earth elements (they are heavier, silvery metals often used in manufacturing). These chemical elements, which include lanthanum, cerium and gadolinium, are lesser known to the general public than heavy metals, but have been shown to be highly toxic. By the end of 2023, global researchers had identified 24 undeclared chemical elements in the COVID-19 vaccine formulas.
Vaccines often include excipients — additives used as preservatives, adjuvants, stabilizers, or for other purposes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), substances used in the manufacture of a vaccine, but not listed in the contents of the final product should be listed somewhere in the package insert. Why is this important? Well, researchers argue it is because excipients can include allergens and other “hidden dangers” for vaccine recipients.
In one lot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, researchers identified 15 chemical elements, of which 14 were undeclared. In the other lot, they detected 21 elements of which 20 were undeclared. In the CanSino vial, they identified 22 elements, of which 20 were undeclared.
The three Pfizer vials contained 19, 16 and 21-23 undeclared elements respectively. The Moderna vials contained 21 and between 16-29 undeclared elements. The Sinopharm vials contained between 17-23 undeclared elements and the Sputnik V contained between 19-25 undetected elements.
“All of the heavy metals detected are linked to toxic effects on human health,” the researchers wrote. Although the metals occurred in different frequencies, many were present across multiple samples.
I am not going to go any further with this; I think you get the picture. We have been sold wolf cookies, very dangerous ones. These pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable. I am proud of anyone who has gone after them for retribution, and have received it. Regardless, in many ways, there is no repayment for a healthy life.
REFERENCES:
https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/111
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender_category/toxic-exposures/
Pfizer’s ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ — and Legacy Media’s Failure to Report on Them
55 Undeclared Chemical Elements — Including Heavy Metals — Found in COVID Vaccines
FDA Should Need Only ‘12 Weeks’ to Release Pfizer Data, Not 75 Years, Plaintiff Calculates
Judge Gives FDA 8 Months, Not 75 Years, to Produce Pfizer Safety Data
Most Studies Show COVID Vaccine Affects Menstrual Cycles, BMJ Review Finds
The Evolution of Kirk Diamond
Which electric vehicles has proven themselves to be the safest on the road?
Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive
Emotionally, Zong! left me gutted; It isn’t an easy book to read!
West Indies memorable triumph over England: A valuable learning experience
Sweet Child
YOGA: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) for sufferers of hypertension or heart disease
Kemtek Development launches new exclusive gated community in Jamaica!
Tourism-Related Live Streaming – The Manifold Ways it Can Create a Buzz for a Destination
Send groceries to Jamaica in a flash, how? GroceryList Jamaica
Ravi’s West Indian Grocery – Fresh Products Weekly Straight from Guyana!
ASA Meats & West Indian Groceries – Serving Freshness & Quality to the Community
Nadine Sutherland – A woman who continues to reinvent herself
Knia Singh – Light Up The Darkness
Spragga Benz – Light Up The Darkness
Kyle Kemper – Light Up The Darkness
David Icke – Light Up The Darkness
Ohio’s Bill 248 and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s compelling testimony
-
Junior Contributors2 weeks agoIt is all about using technology as a tool, not as a crutch
-
Community News1 week agoReggae Salutes, the History of All Stars Steel Orchestra, Winterizing Your Home, and Preparing for the Christmas holidays with the Black Joy Holiday Market
-
Junior Contributors2 weeks agoA recent study by Affinity Law investigated the safety of electric vehicles
-
Junior Contributors2 weeks ago6 Essential tips for mastering college productivity
-
Community News2 weeks agoGroundbreaking Climate Change Project focused on Black communities in five locations in the GTHA
-
Community News2 weeks agoMrose Health and Fitness Studio is actively supporting cancer survivors and increasing awareness
-
Community News2 weeks agoThe dangers and genius of deepfakes: A modern digital threat
-
Community News2 weeks agoReturn of the Prince of Pan-Africanism; Toronto welcomes back Dr. Umar Ifatunde after 12 years!