Professor Scott Wortley

The complainant alleged he was subjected to racial profiling during a traffic stop by the Ottawa Police Service.

The parties engaged in settlement negotiations resulting in two agreements.

The first agreement resolved individual and some public interest remedies, leaving the issue of race-based data collection outstanding.

The second agreement, between the Commission and the respondent, resolved the data collection issue, but the complainant did not sign it and sought to proceed to a hearing to obtain further orders enhancing the data collection project.

The respondent requested the Tribunal dispose of the complaint based on the settlements.

The Tribunal found no reasonable prospect that it would order the additional remedies sought by the complainant, as they either contradicted the settlement, required amending the complaint, or involved methodological details best left to experts.

The complaint was disposed of in accordance with the settlement agreements.

The complainant, a young black man, alleged discrimination on the basis of colour, ethnic origin, and race in respect of policing services after being followed home and held at gunpoint by a police officer investigating a gun call.

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario found that the investigating officer's decision to single out the complainant was based in part on racial profiling, as the officer lacked sufficient reliable information to justify the stop.

The Tribunal substantiated the complaint against the investigating officer and the Toronto Police Services Board, awarding $40,000 in damages for injury to dignity, feelings, and self-respect.

The complaint against the other responding officers was dismissed, as their actions were found to be a response to the exigencies of the situation created by the initial officer.