A settlement between Canada Customs and a man who says he was singled out for a search due to his race has led to the launch of a pilot project. The Globe and Mail reports the aim of the project is to find out whether customs officers use racial profiling.

The Globe says data-collection is scheduled to begin over the next several weeks and will focus on the race, colour and ethnic origin of travellers detained for secondary inspections.

The pilot project is believed to represent the first time a Canadian law enforcement agency has officially collected and analyzed race statistics.

"The project will also analyze the impact of the criteria applied by (customs officers) at ports of entry and make appropriate recommendations," the agency says in tender documents released recently. "Currently the customs branch does not collect this information."

The project stems from a settlement reached by Toronto law student Selwyn Pieters earlier this year. He filed a 1999 complaint with the Canadian Human Rights commission over allegations that he was singled out for a search because he is black.

Pieters worked out a settlement with Canada Customs for an undisclosed payment and an agreement the agency would hire an outside firm to collect and analyze statistics about travellers chosen for secondary screenings.

Pieters says he welcomes the project's launch, adding that the issue of racial profiling has increased in importance following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

He told The Globe that he believes he was selected to be searched because he fit the profile of a drug dealer.

"If the majority of people who are being referred to secondary searches are racial minorities, whether they are black or whether they are Arabs now that there is all the terrorism concerns, I hope measures would be taken so that the screening process or the referral process isn't being used for discriminatory reasons," he said.

Tender documents say Canada Customs plans to use the collected data to help determine the reasons why travellers are referred for secondary examinations.

In an interview with The Globe, Caroline Jacques said "all personal statistics will be voluntary, anonymous and not related to any specific group."