OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF HARASSING BLACK TRAVELLERS

Unjust entry searches: Complaint filed to immigration minister

The president of the Jamaican-Canadian Association wants the federal
Immigration Department to issue a directive to stop what he feels is the
unjust searches of blacks at Canadian entry points.

Herman Stewart made the comments yesterday after receiving reports that
blacks, who have been arriving on flights at Pearson International Airport
from Jamaica and Trinidad to attend this weekend's Caribana festivities, are
being targeted for searches.

"It's time we get some respect and appreciation for the enrichment we bring
into the Canadian society," said Mr. Stewart.

"We in Toronto have parades on a regular basis and I have not heard of any
such targeting for any other groups."

Mr. Stewart said he will be sending a letter, the third of its kind, to
Lucienne Robillard, the Immigration and Citizenship minister, asking that
the searches be stopped.

Ms. Robillard was not available for comment yesterday.

"It's unfortunate that people feel that their community is being targeted,"
said Giovanna Gatti of Immigration and Citizenship Canada.

"They're unaware that this is a routine practice and happens to flights from
all over the world," she said.

"From our perspective, we do not target or profile any particular community
when we conduct these searches," said Ms. Gatti.

But an immigration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
profiling is common.

"You can't do enforcement work if you don't profile," the source said.

"If I was the supervisor, I wouldn't waste time on a flight from Miami where
there's a bunch a snowbirds, when I know if I put the same effort into a
flight from Kingston, Jamaica, I will get more results. My job is to stop
contraband."

The immigration official said they would like to handle all cases the same
way but limited resources lead to profiling.

"But you have to keep the issue of racism in mind and not get carried away
to the point where you target someone because they're black or white or
whatever."

The Caribana festival is expected to attract 1.2 million people to
tomorrow's parade.

Half the revellers will be visiting from outside of Canada, with about half
of those coming from the U.S.

This is not the first time that Toronto's black community has accused
immigration and customs officials at Pearson of unfair treatment.

Last November, the African Canadian Legal Clinic said it did a survey of
travellers that proved racial profiling was being practiced at the airport.

The survey, conducted at the airport, questioned 205 blacks, 189 whites and
seven Asians on eight flights during June, October and November of 1998.

The results indicated that 56% of blacks were searched, compared with only
10% of whites.