Beneath the filth and sprawl of Toronto, there may be a darker issue to confront: the long suspected problem of racial profiling by the city’s police. Though denied in the past, a study by the Toronto Star has discovered at least preliminary evidence that, for some reason, black Toronto drivers are pulled over at a far greater rate than their pale-skinned neighbours.

After requesting police records dating back to 1996, the Star learned that blacks faced more charges of driving without a license, driving without insurance and other offences undetectable until after being stopped by police, raising a flag on the question of why the drivers were pulled over to begin with. The only common bond seems to be skin colour.

Though racial profiling is a problem many would like to see addressed, Toronto police have conveniently received orders not to analyze racial data, lest racists use the results against minorities that don’t score well.

» Scott Saxon