Lawyer says new bill could cause ramped up surveillance of vulnerable Nova Scotians
The existing act allows people to submit anonymous complaints about a property in their neighbourhood that they believe is linked to criminal activity.
Halifax-based legal aid agency Dalhousie Legal Aid is urging the provincial government to scrap proposed legislative changes in the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, which could disproportionately harm vulnerable Nova Scotians, particularly Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities. Lawyer Nadia Shivji from Dalhousie Legal Aid stated that the proposed expansion of the act could be weaponized to target marginalized communities through the introduction of anonymous complaints about properties linked to criminal activity, even from residents who don't live in the area.
Justice Minister Scott Armstrong acknowledged Shivji's concerns but maintains that the proposed changes are aimed at combating higher-level crimes like organized crime and human trafficking, and he does not believe they will disproportionately affect marginalized people.
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