'Know Your Rights' - Mockumentary on police powers in Toronto

Tension between the police and the 'Jane and Finch' (Jane Street and Finch Avenue) community in Toronto, Canada has existed for many years. Paul Nguyen, founder of Jane-Finch.com has created a short one hour film called 'Know Your Rights' to inform at-risk youth of their rights when dealing with the police.

The film produced by Paul Nguyen and Thanath Im is designed to provide people, and particularly young people with:

• basic information about their rights when dealing with the police;
• an understanding of powers of arrest, detention and search;
• strategies to deal with various situations relating to policy contact; and
• an understanding of the recourse available when someone experiences an abuse of police power.

View the film: 'Know Your Rights'

Jane-Finch.com

Launched in March 2004, Jane-Finch.com is a community website created by Paul Nguyen. During this time, the site has been transformed from a small grassroots project into an international phenomenon. It acts as a virtual community centre giving local people a voice. Their goals are to:

• create a better understanding and appreciation of the Jane and Finch community and its members, and
• preserve and share the unique cultural artifacts about the community and to foster education.

Jane-Finch.com is a not-for-profit organisation run by local students and volunteers. Public legal education is a growing, but important component of the site.

More about: Jane-Finch.com

'Jane and Finch' neighbourhood

'Jane and Finch' is a neighbourhood in the northwest corner of Toronto. It is a densely populated, extremely diverse community that has been fighting for four decades to overcome isolation, hardship, and stigma. Compared to the rest of the city of Toronto, 'Jane and Finch' has: a higher rate of immigrants and people new to Canada; a higher rate of youth and children; a higher rate of single parents; a higher rate of low-income families; a higher proportion of rental households; a higher rate of unemployment; a lower percentage of population with university education (despite being located next to York University); and a higher percentage of population with less than a high school education.

Despite its many challenges there is a tremendous amount of pride in the community and is a model of multiculturalism.

Paul Nguyen

Paul believes in using the power of the internet and social media to combat negative stereotypes of marginalised communities.

As the founder of Jane-Finch.com, Paul oversees the development of the website and has directed and produced many of their community films and videos.

Paul has received high praise for his fight against racism and in June 2010 accepted the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism.

Read our 60 second interview with Paul Nguyen

July 2010