A/HRC/13/23/Add.2 52. Through the Welcoming Communities Initiative of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration funding is allocated to regions and provinces to support ongoing antiracism activities, awareness-raising, outreach, direct services and tools and resource development. Funded projects have included community-based conferences, focus groups, workshops and committees.20 In 2008, British Columbia launched the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program to support the capacity of communities and workplaces in British Columbia to be inclusive. D. Policing 53. Policing issues were raised in community consultations held in Regent Park, Jane and Finch and Thorncliffe Park in Toronto, the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver, and Montreal North. Persons belonging to African Canadian, Muslim, Arab and Latino communities reported feeling subject to unjustified police surveillance and experiencing negative interactions with the police, which they consider to be consistent with a practice of racial profiling. 54. Community members claim that derogatory stereotypes, such as characterizations of African Canadian criminality, violence and drug offences, or Muslim extremism, colour wider societal perceptions of black or Muslim males. They devalue whole communities and negate their sense of citizenship and belonging. Racial profiling and heavy-handed policing of minority neighbourhoods is blamed for disproportionate arrest rates and overrepresentation of minorities in the criminal justice system. Members of minority communities claim that racial profiling, police impunity and disproportionate use of force have resulted in deaths and serious injuries. 55. Montreal North residents claim that investigations of police misconduct have not been independent. Rather, they characterize the current system as amounting to the police investigating the police. When a police officer is involved in a shooting, the investigation of whether the use of force was justified and proportional is given to the police force in another jurisdiction. Cases may be referred for prosecution by the Crown Prosecutor. But according to the investigations of a local journalist, over the past six years, 97 cases were investigated where civilians were injured or killed in police shootings, chases and arrests. Of those, only one was prosecuted. 56. Community members claim that reports and evidence related to investigations are withheld from them. They call for a comprehensive review of the process of investigation to ensure independence, the establishment of an independent civilian investigation authority board, full transparency and disclosure, an investigation into racial and religious profiling, and suspension of the use of tasers. 57. Montreal police representatives provided information on their policies,21 and highlighted a zero-tolerance policy with regard to profiling and racism. No police have been found guilty of profiling. They pointed to specialist expert committees established with advisory roles, including on racial profiling and with respect to specific communities. They rejected claims of excessive force and impunity. 58. The Quebec government notes that independent investigations are launched systematically where a person has died or sustained serious injuries as a result of police actions or while being held in custody. Actions of police officers are scrutinized by civilian 20 21 14 Ibid. Including: Montreal City Police Service-Police action in a changing society – an action strategy on intercultural skills development. GE.10-11860