In Toronto, the practice was once called “intervention” and before that “street checks.” The police now label it community “engagement.” The name everyone else tends to use—carding—is a reference to the contact cards police have been using for about 10 years to collect information about those who are stopped and questioned.

While police have called the contact card database “an incredibly effective tool,” critics charge that the practice puts innocent people at risk. Once in the system, a person will be seen as known to police any time his or her name is checked in future; even when there’s been no crime or arrest, a person’s file expands each time he or she is carded.

Recently, we hosted a panel discussion about Toronto Police Carding: The Past, The Present And The Future. The scheduled panelists are: Anthony Morgan , Jared A. Walker, Jason Merai and Idil Burale.

Anthony Morgan is a lawyer and the Human Rights, Equity and Diversity Advisor at Humber College in Toronto, Canada. He is passionately committed to social justice and serving the principles of equity, civic engagement, and multiculturalism, interests he often explores as blogger for the Huffington Post Canada. Anthony has worked as a research assistant for both a sitting judge of the Court of Quebec, Judge Juanita Westmoreland-Traore, and McGill mLaw professor, Adelle Blackett. He has also worked as a civil-rights advocate at the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations in Montreal, and an associate editor of the *McGill International Journal of Sustainable Development Law & Policy*. In 2009-2010, he served as President of the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada.

Anthony maintains an active interest in matters concerning Black Canadian social and political affairs, and Caribbean diaspora politics. In February 2012, he was one of 12 people to be officially recognized as a Black History Month Laureate by Quebec’s Roundtable on Black History Month. In addition to holding both a LL.B (Common Law) and B.C.L. (Civil Law) from McGill University, Faculty of Law, he holds an Hons. Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in Ethics, Society & Law.

Jared A. Walker works as a communications and PR professional in Canada’s non-profit sector, and has worked in communications, fundraising and community development for a number of non-profits and charities in the Greater Toronto and New York areas. Jared also has analogous experience within the political context gained from working on national and regional campaigns in the US & Canada, including most notably serving as the NY State Coordinator of Students for Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential election.

His deepest passion is collaborating across intersections to cultivate accountable, representative, forward-thinking communities, regions and nations. When it comes to achieving these goals, Jared isn’t one for dogma. Whether it’s in a community-based non-profit, a national political campaign or a for-profit enterprise with big social impact, making a difference is what makes him tick.

As a speaker, Jared has engaged various audiences around the world on issues of politics, youth mobilization, community building, social innovation, social enterprise and engaging men to end violence against women.

Jason Merai completed his Bachelor degree in Political Science and History at the University of Toronto and a Masters of Education at OISE. With a passion for improving communities, Jason has worked with UNICEF Canada, Humber College, and in South Africa as a CIDA intern. He also co-launched a Rogers Peel Television show called “Bullying – Battered & Bruised”, addressing the intersections of bullying in order to create greater awareness. As the Executive Director for UARR, Jason works closely with the Board of Directors to continue the organization’s legacy of advocacy and building an inclusive and safer Toronto.

Idil Burale is Toronto based community advocate, city builder and a columnist who is working at the intersection of social innovation And systems change.

During our live conversation, some of the topics were discussed were:

– The history of carding
– How did the panelists get involved with the campaign against carding
– What was their reaction when Mark Saunders was elected Toronto’s first Black police chief
– Their reactions to Toronto mayor John Tory saying that he opposes carding and what are people telling them about John Tory’s decision
– Their calls to action and if they think carding in Toronto still exist one year from now

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God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,
Dr. Vibe
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