In a report on racial profiling during traffic stops in Quebec, published on December 6, 2024, researchers reveal the devastating consequences of racial profiling on the lives of Black and Arab drivers in Quebec. Stemming from the Racial Profiling in Traffic Stops project, initiated in 2020, this report highlights the urgent need to take action to eliminate these discriminatory practices.

Recommendation 1: Moratorium on Unjustified Traffic Stops

The report strongly recommends imposing a moratorium on all unjustified traffic stops. This underscores the need to immediately suspend practices based on pretexts or tricks, which contribute to the systematic discrimination against Black and Arab drivers.

Recommendation 2: Amendment to Article 636 of the CSR

Another key recommendation of the report concerns amending section 636 of the Quebec Highway Safety Code. The objective is to end traffic stops without justifiable cause and to limit police discretion. The report emphasizes that decisions to conduct a traffic stop must be based on reasonable grounds to suspect an offence, thus reinforcing the need to justify these actions.

Recommendation 3: Transparent Collection and Analysis of Ethnoracial Data

In agreement with the communities concerned, the report recommends that police services collect data on the ethnic and racial background of individuals they stop. This data should be independently analyzed, made accessible, and publicly available annually. This recommendation aims to provide crucial transparency, highlighting patterns of racial profiling to promote greater accountability.

The report also presents the findings of the methodology used, which included interviews with 25 Black and Arab individuals who had experienced traffic stops. Their poignant accounts reveal the profound impact on the victims' mental and physical health, as well as the detrimental consequences for their daily lives, family relationships, and trust in public institutions.

Professor Marie-Eve Sylvestre, involved in the project, emphasizes the urgency of action: "These recommendations are not just suggestions, but imperatives to restore trust and fairness within our justice and road safety system."«

The LAKAY organization calls on the authorities to implement these recommendations without delay. It is time to turn words into action and build a future where every citizen, regardless of their ethnic origin, can move about freely without fear of discrimination while driving.

Here is the link to the report: https://www.observatoiredesprofilages.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rapport-interceptions-routieres_VF.pdf