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Winnipeg taxi refused my business
October 27, 2010 - 5:15pm
I was with some friends Tuesday night on Corydon and a taxi driver refused to drive us home. Then he picked up another group (non-FN) and drove off.
I mentioned this sort of thing a while ago and to be honest I haven't beed using cabs a lot since then, but now I'm really steamed.
Options, other than buying a car?
Eric Damaran
Carry a camera and video tape any taxi refusals you get and subsequent pick ups of other fares, and launch a law suit.
Once you pick a mayor and council today get ahold of your councillor and find out what can be done about it. The city is responsible for licensing taxi companies.
I second remind's idea. I am not sure to which Nation you belong but you may also want to contact Nahanie Fontaine, Director of Justice for the Southern Chiefs' Organization (SCO),
contact as many relevant organizations as you can, write a letter to the editor, write your local/provincial politicians and MAKE A RECORD of this incident. hope you got the license number/cab number when he stopped to pick up the other people.
might seem like a waste of time, but when this inevitably happens again, people will be able to check and see it's something happening daily in winnipeg.
or, organize a test. find some FN friends and get cameras and go out a try to get cabs, and document it. take it to the news and the net. organize a boycott of the cab company, etc.
the important thing is, don't let this go.
Sure, it would be possible to launch a lawsuit, but why enrich the lawyers, or spend whatever savings you have fighting such a battle? The best thing is to look at starting an Aboriginal Taxi Company where only FN people are transported. I'm serious. People will call it politically incorrect, the human (anti-)rights commission will have a bird, but if the heat is on the politicians and judges, they'll back down. Let's show them what real justice and freedom of choice is all about!
I think a FN-owned cab company is a great idea, and with the uban reserves that exist in some centres there's a foundation for it. As for turning away non-aboriginal fares, go ahead if you want to ask people for treaty cards or who they are related to, but I think that is kind of goes beyond the point of taking control of the business. Once you have done that, why do you need to do more, and why would you want to turn down a paying and supportive customer?
Nobody has ever turned me away at a FN-run gas station.
I know of FN-owned trucking companies that do business with whites, so why not a cab company?
Besides, litigation is such a yanqui response.
If you start an aboriginal taxi company and don't pick me up, I'd sue YOU. See how that goes?
I AM a cab driver(18 years). I pick up whoever I want and I have the right to refuse service to ANYONE. I base my decision on appearance. Not race, but sobriety and probability of getting paid. If you are too drunk, I DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE YOU! If you lip off, I CAN kick you out. If you look like trouble-makers, cabbies DO NOT have to pick you up!!!!
Why don't you take a look at your appearance (gangsta & ho) and quit whining. The TAXICAB BOARD says I have the right to refuse service AND the right to ask for the fare in advance. It is printed on the window of EACH and EVERY cab in Winnipeg.
Fuck off, racist scum.
Exactly.