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Prime Minister Proposes Body-Cams for Police

Monday, 8 June 2020 15:00

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he'll propose equipping police with body-worn cameras as a relatively simple way to address complaints that police in Canada treat racialized people unfairly.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he'll propose equipping police with body-worn cameras to the country's premiers this week, hoping for rapid movement.

The cameras document police officers' interactions with the public and Trudeau says they're a relatively simple way to address complaints that police in Canada treat racialized people unfairly.

He says fixing centuries of racial injustice won't happen overnight but recent protests have shown him that more needs to be done quickly.

Trudeau says a look at the distribution of COVID-19 cases in large cities such as Toronto and Montreal shows that black people have been disproportionately hit by the pandemic. He says that's a sign of the work governments need to do to address inequalities.

The Prime Minister says the ban on non-essential crossings of the U.S.-Canada border is being loosened slightly to allow some families to reunite. Rules still require anyone entering the country to self-isolate for two weeks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

The border with the United States has been closed since March, except for goods and certain categories of essential workers.

Canadians always have a right to return to this country from abroad, but some families have been divided because of some of their members' citizenship status.

Trudeau says the measure is aimed at families with unusual circumstances, such as when one parent is not a citizen.

The current agreement with the United States expires June 21, but it has been extended twice already for a month at a time.
 

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