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CABC Statement on Discrimination

Dear Friends,

[Please read the following excerpt from a press release written by Emmanuel Baptist Church, Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia]:

In September 2015, a board of inquiry with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (NSHRC) found that Sobeys’ staff falsely accused Ms. David of Upper Hammond’s Plains of shoplifting. This false accusation was found to be the result of racial profiling by Sobeys.

Sobeys has appealed the Commission’s decision because they have issues with perceived bias and the approach taken by the Commission’s adjudicator. In other words, Sobeys’ fight appears now to be with the ‘process’ the Commission used and not with Ms. David. Yet Sobeys is knowingly dragging an innocent woman, against whom they racially discriminated, back through the process to serve their own purpose.

To read the full statement and press release see the following link: https://baptist-atlantic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/L_Anderson_EBC-Media-Release.pdf (or read below). To read the report of the NS Human Rights Commission, click here: http://humanrights.novascotia.ca/node/141.

Rev. Dr. Lennett Anderson of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Hammonds Plains and the Board of Directors of the Church have condemned the injurious actions of Sobeys and are planning public demonstrations. Dr. Anderson and the Church have called upon the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches and all other churches of like-minded persons to stand with them against this injustice.

The Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches recognizes the ongoing reality and challenges of racial discrimination in Atlantic Canada and we stand in solidarity with Ms. David and Emmanuel Baptist Church in their struggle against further injustice.

We applaud the decision of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, which clears Ms. David’s name in this case. We are grateful that Ms. David’s church and community is standing with her as she faces and recovers from this ordeal. We support all peaceful efforts to bring reconciliation when injustice has occurred.

We are deeply disturbed by the continued actions taken by Sobeys in this case. Insofar as Ms. David was wrongly accused of shoplifting, we urge Sobeys to acknowledge the consequences of their actions on Ms. David and spare her from further embarrassment and stress.

We call upon the congregations of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches to stand together with Ms. David, Emmanuel Baptist Church and, our sisters and brothers in the African United Baptist Association against further racial discrimination. Together we stand for justice and for the fair treatment of all people in our society.

Rev. Dr. Peter Reid
Executive Minister

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