100 000 signatures & petition submission

I wanted to send out an update letting all supporters of this petition know that in just over a week, we reached over 100 000 signatures. It has been closed, and as of 8 AM today, submitted to the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners.

This afternoon, hours after submission and in the midst of inquiry into police administrations across the continent, the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners decided to cancel their upcoming meetings, and are now refusing to accept public input, mirroring the exact lack of accountability that is being condemned more than every by the public.  They cite technical difficulties, but it would not be the first time a governing body responded to public dissent by silencing the people.

My hope is that the people of Halifax continue to be vocal about police brutality and keep the conversation going. I will be trying to engage the board, and am seeking a new avenue through which to submit the petition.

A new coalition has formed, the Nova Scotia Policing Policy Working Group. They are asking for change to the board that oversees the HRP. Read more here, and keep paying attention to how our local governing bodies are responding to the calls for change that are now coming from so many directions.