An African Canadian woman has criticized Manitoba Public Insurance’s (MPI) driver’s license renewal process after the Crown corporation’s Autopac computer system read her skin tone as “unnatural” for the third time.
Winnipeg native Tolu Ilelaboye visited two different Autopac locations last month to get her license renewed, but the system was unable to detect her skin tone.
"At that point, an Autopac person had told me that my skin wasn't registering a natural colour. So I basically couldn't get a licence," Ilelaboye told CBC News.
She had visited a third Autopac location last week, which also turned her down for the same reason.
"It really is dehumanizing in a lot of ways. It's reminding me of just some of the systems that are in place and processes that are in place that continue to obstruct people's ability to access all the same resources as other people," Ilelaboye commented, adding that the process was so exhausting that she refuses to have another photo taken by an Autopac agent.
"I fundamentally will not come get another photo because that's personally really damaging.”
Following news of the issue, MPI vice president and chief customer officer Satvir Jatana offered the company’s apologies to Ilelaboye.
"On behalf of MPI, I am truly sorry that this has happened. You know, we serve all Manitobans and we want our services to be respectful, easy and accessible," Jatana said in a statement.
"We know that in this case for Tolu, we fell short and we are doing everything to make it right."
The vice president also confirmed with CBC News that MPI will work to ensure that Ilelaboye has an updated driver's licence, using her previous photo. Jatana also explained that the problem was not with Ilelaboye's skin tone, but with the overall colour of the photo.
MPI is taking Ilelaboye's concerns seriously, Jatana said, and that the Crown corporation has had conversations to resolve the issue with an “external party.”
"We want to resolve this as soon as possible and this is a top priority for us," the chief customer officer said.
