Ford can seize opportunities on carding and sex ed

Premier Doug Ford is fond of saying his government is “for the people.” Assuming he means all the people, not just some, there are two things he can do in the coming months to address two problems having a direct impact on “the people.”

One is carding. An independent review, conducted by Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch, confirms what most people already know: Random street checks by police, also known as carding, aren’t useful in reducing crime, but they do affect racialized people disproportionately.

Claims by carding proponents that the practice does reduce crime, and that restricting it causes crime to increase, are not backed up by evidence. While it’s true that certain types of crime have increased in Toronto, it’s also true that many other jurisdictions have not seen more criminal activity since carding was drastically reduced by rules put in place by the Liberal government. In other words, Toronto’s crime increase is due to other factors, not less carding. Tulloch concludes that carding should be stopped altogether.

It is important to note the distinction, as drawn by Tulloch, between carding and legitimate street checks. His report defines carding as the practice where police randomly stop individuals, collect information and enter it into a database. In the judge’s words, there is “little to no evidence that a random, unfocussed collection of identifying information has benefits that outweigh the social cost of the practice.” Tulloch doesn’t advocate eliminating all street checks, and he sets out conditions and situations where such checks can be usefully employed. That makes sense.

So far, the government has only said it will study the 300-page report and consider its recommendations. Put that together with the government’s stated preference for supporting police above all else, and it doesn’t fill us with hope that Tulloch’s suggestions will be adopted. But if Ford wants a government for all Ontarians, he’ll act on them.

The other issue is sex education in Ontario schools. The story is familiar by now. The previous government consulted 4,000 parents, teachers and experts and put in place new curriculum in 2015 that included matters like sexting, online stalking and abuse and other new issues not dealt with by the old curriculum from the late 1990s. The curriculum was disliked by social conservatives but supported by the majority.

Ford owed a debt to the social conservative wing of his party that got him the leadership, and in payment he yanked the new curriculum and replaced it with the ’90s version. The government also promised to consult parents about new curriculum. That consultation was deeply flawed in that it was online only, but it happened.

And guess what? The majority of respondents liked the 2015 curriculum. Now the government is committed to spending millions needlessly developing new curriculum when most parents supported the old curriculum.

But if Doug Ford is listening, he and his government can at least ensure whatever new curriculum they come up with is as current and effective as the 2015 version they needlessly killed. That’s what “the people” say they want, after all.

It is important to note the distinction between carding and legitimate street checks. Tulloch sets out conditions and situations where such checks can be usefully employed. That makes sense.