(Staff ) -- A local Aboriginal discrimination tribunal under the Canadian Human Rights Commission has been adjourned until officials can determine whether the tribunal chairperson has shown bias throughout the proceedings.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) lawyer Sean Gaudet has introduced a motion that argues for the replacement of the tribunal chairperson based on bias in favour of the Akwesasne-based complainant and unfair restrictions placed on the CBSA during cross-examination.
Chairperson Rejean Belanger has overseen the ongoing hearings in Cornwall since December 2009. The hearings were to resume today.
At the centre of the human rights case is a claim by Teiohontathe Fallan Davis. She alleges that because of her age, race and gender, the CBSA led an unjustified search and X-Ray of her vehicle at the Cornwall Island Port of Entry on Nov. 18, 2005. She was 23 at the time.
The CBSA has argued that Davis resents the customs facility and believes standard identification and claim procedures should not apply to her.