by Morinville News Staff
The Government of Alberta says it will launch community consultations on street checks, more commonly referred to int he public as carding, later this month.
Community groups from across Alberta will be surveyed during this phase of the government consultation, with participating organizations receiving a written survey from the province and have six weeks to reply.
The survey includes questions about how police interact with the public, the collection of personal information, and officer training.
“It is vital for us to hear from community groups on this issue and receive their feedback,” said Kathleen Ganley, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, in a release Thursday. “Our goal is to draft a provincial guideline to ensure the rights of the public are respected, while still allowing community policing that engages with the public. We believe a provincial guideline will provide consistent rules for all police to follow.”
In addition to the written surveys, the government says in-person sessions will also be planned to “ensure the views of Albertans who are impacted by street checks are heard.”
United Conservative Party Justice Critics, Angela Pitt and Mike Ellis, said they were “relieved to see the Minister has come to the realization that street checks are a problem in some parts of the province.”
“While we do not oppose the idea of a public consultation, the solution to this problem is simple – remind police services across Alberta that they must adhere to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” the UCP critics wrote in a joint release. “Simply complying with the Charter’s provisions would eliminate the unconstitutional street checks that are occurring.”
The government will work on a draft guideline after the feedback has been received, conducting further consultations before the guideline is finalized.
