(Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Curfew

PAGC calls for pause on passage of back alley bylaw

Apr 24, 2020 | 12:45 PM

Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) is calling on city council to put the passage of their controversial alley curfew bylaw on hold until they can be consulted. In a reversal of an earlier position, PAGC expressed concern the curfew would lead to discrimination and racial profiling and asked the city to instead work with them on alternative strategies to address the root causes of crime.

“I certainly commend the city for trying to address issues of break-ins,” Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte told paNOW. “But after closer examination, I don’t think this is the answer.”

The proposed bylaw is up for three readings and final approval at Monday night’s city council meeting. If passed, the bylaw would mean anyone found in alleys between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. could be questioned by police and face a fine of $500-$5,000.

While the majority of city council has been adamant in their support of the curfew as a necessary tool for fighting property crime, critics have consistently raised concerns it would lead to racial profiling, while having no effect on crime.

“We are concerned about it’s implications if passed,” Hardlotte said. “Police already have the authority to investigate suspicious activity under the criminal code and this bylaw can only lead to more issues of racial profiling with the possibility it could escalate into a human rights issue.”

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Hardlotte said there was no data-driven evidence-based research that shows the curfew would lower property crime in the city.

“Instead, we can learn from a report by the Ontario Human Rights Commission into race and policing in Toronto that showed that the practice of ‘carding’ was heavily focussed on race,” he explained.

“This concern is compounded by the fact that there are already high incarceration rates of Indigenous peoples in the provincial and federal prison system, and we are deeply disturbed that this practice of racial profiling will only reinforce higher incarceration rates.”

Meanwhile he was not convinced the curfew addressed the core issues related to property crime.

“The sad reality that the people committing these crimes are facing issues of poverty, homeless and increasing rates of addictions,” said Hardlotte. “We need to focus on addressing the root causes of the problem through a more proactive approach.”

Hardlotte emphasized the PAGC has a good relationship with city council and the police, but they had not been invited to contribute to discussion on the curfew, and actually learned about the proposed bylaw through the media.

“I’m saying to the city council, let us work together, let us find solutions together and be a model of reconciliation,” said Hardlotte, noting there was a large population of First Nations people living in the city who are “an inseparable part of the urban community.”

Mayor Greg Dionne did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom