What does this election mean for the Police Act Review?
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- Published on Friday, 09 October 2020 10:08
- Written by editor
Dear Friend,
I thought that I'd be writing to you today about our submissions for the Police Act review that was going to take place in BC. But in late September, the legislature in BC was dissolved and a provincial election was called.
An election call ends any work being done by different legislative committees. The work of the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act has ended.
You probably have some questions about how BC’s provincial government is going to address the systemic harms of policing after this election. There is a lot that is unknown right now.
One thing is certain: no matter who wins this election, we will press the future government to protect the human rights and liberties of those communities who are most impacted by police violence and push for radical transformation to end the harms of policing.
This includes ensuring that all laws, including the Police Act, fall in line with... the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as required by the B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. This is a crucial call by many Indigenous nations, who are over-policed and under-protected by a colonial policing and judicial system on their own lands. Alongside partner organizations, we are also resolute in our ongoing campaign for a complete ban on the racist and illegal practice of street checks.
We know that policing is only one part of a more expansive system.
Transforming policing requires a thorough re-thinking of our
entire criminal legal system and structures of criminalization.
That is why we are also litigating at the Supreme Court of
Canada for juries that are more diverse, demanding the
decriminalization of drug use and sex work, challenging a broken RCMP
complaints systems, advocating for democratic and civilian police
governance, and confronting systemic racism in policing.
We are also winning, with two important legal
victories limiting policing powers and punitive bail
conditions at the Supreme Court of Canada.
The BCCLA is pushing back on policing powers in many realms because we know, experience, and witness how police have too much power and too little accountability. We need to hold them accountable and demand change.
We do this because it’s the right thing to do. We do this because people deserve better.
We know you agree. And we hope you’ll stand alongside us in the fight for change and accountability.
By coming together, we can make our voices louder than ever. We can make sure that governments listen to the people. We can end police violence and transform the systemic harms of criminalization now and in the future.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing what we can do together to fight for a different future.
We hope you will join us in re-imagining what’s possible.
Thank you,
Harsha Walia (she/her)
Executive Director
