Racialized communities strategy

About the strategy

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has committed to developing a multi-year, multi-faceted, province-wide racialized

communities strategy that will build upon the services and supports that LAO already has in place.

Contents

Uncategorized

The consequences of carding: Ayaan Farah’s case

Last modified: August 22, 2016

In 2014, Ayaan Farah lost her job because the RCMP alleged she had a connection to the Dixon Crew, an Etobicoke street gang.

Transport Canada revoked her security clearance at her job of eight years at Pearson International Airport because of these allegations—and, as a result, lost her job.

On August 15, 2016, a Federal Court judge ruled in favour of Ms. Farah and ruled that Transport Canada’s decision was based on two “sparse allegations” provided by the Toronto police in 2014 as part of a security review.

In an opinion piece, Desmond Cole wrote, “Her experience shows how racial profiling, carding, and excessive surveillance threaten people who shouldn’t even be on the police’s radar.”

Read more

  • Toronto Star: Judge slams Transport Canada for revoking airline worker’s security clearance

    Article originally published on August 16, 2016 (Available in English only)

    After a two-year battle with Transport Canada, Ayaan Farah could have her security clearance and job restored.

    A Federal Court judge quashed the decision to revoke the US Airways employee’s security clearance, because Transport Canada failed to give her enough information to defend herself against allegations of links to individuals with criminal records.

  • Toronto Star: In the security state, you’re innocent until investigated: Cole

    Article originally published on January 14, 2016 (Available in English only)

    All of us know someone who has been charged with or convicted of a crime. Most of us don’t think this connection could cost us our employment. This is exactly what happened to Ayaan Farah a couple of years ago. She lost her security clearance at Pearson airport, and the job that went with it, after police claimed she had connections to a local gang, and was a potential threat to airline safety.