ACT NOW: Ban the Use of Rubber Bullets & Tear Gas by Canadian Law Enforcement
ACT NOW: Ban the Use of Rubber Bullets & Tear Gas by Canadian Law Enforcement
Last Sunday , on May 31st, protestors in Montréal and Canadians across the country marched in solidarity with Black Lives Matter-- in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd.
The cruel and agonizingly slow murder of Mr. Floyd was recorded for all the world to witness. In the video, you witness George's murder by officer Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis Police Department and his three accomplices, officers: Thomas Lane, JA Kueng and Tou Thao.
During the march in Montréal, the police heard the calls for change and responded with violence. Although police brutality is an issue all provinces and territories in Canada, police in Québec have a long history of using tear gas and rubber bullets on Canadians.
Police brutality, anti-blackness and racism are systemic problems. These are just some of the issues that BLM are now confronting in the United States and these are the same problems that we must tackle head-on in Canada
In Canada, we have The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees the freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the freedom of peaceful assembly.
Moreover, Canada is also a signatory of the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 (Geneva Protocols) that prohibits the use of Tear Gas in international warfare.
Ask yourself: Why are Canadian law enforcement, whom are sworn to protect Canadians, using weapons banned in warfare against us?
Why do civilians have less protections than enemy combatants? Why are people being shot at with rubber bullets and having their voices choked out by tear gas?
The status quo is unacceptable and we are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Government of Canada to act now.
No more empty words.
We need ACTION. LEGISLATION. EXCHANGE.
We are calling on the Government of Canada to implement the following 2 measures:
1) The immediate banning of the use of tear gas by law enforcement in Canada.
2) The immediate banning of the use of rubber bullets by law enforcement in Canada.
* After signing, contact your MP (Federal Representative) and demand change!
** Then contact your MLA / MPP / MNA (Provincial Representative) here:
*** IMPORTANT EDIT: Removal of "Implementing mandatory body cameras" as one of the demands.