Black Lives Ruined: Black men asked to sign NDAs to settle racial profiling cases
CTV
Black men who are the victims of racial profiling and harassment by police forces in Quebec say they are being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements in order to receive their settlement cheques.
Racial profiling is a systemic problem plaguing Montreal police (SPVM), according to a judgement by Superior Court Justice Dominique Poulin.
But what does that mean in the lives of the victims?
This is part three of a CTV News three-part series called Black Lives Ruined: The effects of racial profiling by police.
Black men who are the victims of racial profiling and harassment by police forces in Quebec say they are being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA) in order to receive their settlement cheques.
"We can solve this matter now, and they pay you X amount, and you sign the NDA, or we take it to court and you may or may not win the case," said Marcus Gordon of his experience with the Human Rights Commission (CDPDJ) and Montreal police (SPVM). "At the time, I just wanted financial compensation for all this harassment that I was enduring, so I took the money and signed the NDA."
He says the experience left him feeling like he didn't exist.
"I now understand they're trying to sweep all of these stories under the rug," he tells CTV News. "They [the Human Rights Commission] are trying to remove themselves from the experiences they're causing."
