A Saint John city councillor is happy after the provincial government announced it would scrap Bill 49.
The bill would have granted the government and police more authority during a state of emergency such as COVID-19. Under the law, police would have the right to stop anyone in the province to provide identification and ensure they are complying with state of emergency regulations.
Premier Blaine Higgs said Monday he had a change of heart about granting police more authority after the death of Rodney Levi, who was shot and killed by the RCMP last Friday.
Councillor David Hickey was outspoken against the bill on social media.
He says that institutions like Amnesty International have found that carding has disproportionate impacts on people of colour.
“The challenge with something like Bill 49 and carding, is we see that it has adverse effects on those members of the population,” he said.
Hickey says his ward has the highest level of diversity and socioeconomic inequality in the city, making it particularly vulnerable to increased police measures.
“When the provincial government talks about enacting strategies like that, I can’t sit down and not speak up for my ward,” said Hickey.
A recent newspaper editorial called out Hickey’s public stance against Bill 49 and for making promises he couldn’t keep when it comes to carding in the city.
Hickey was disappointed by the editorial but says he is committed to continuing to speak up for his ward.
“My position in the community means that I absolutely have to stand up for them, and I have to make sure that their voices are being heard consistently.”
This is a non-starter. The @saintjohnpolice will not be carding. Regardless of the legislation. https://t.co/eQotBvoF7g
— David Hickey (@DavidHickeySJ) June 11, 2020
