Indigenous family alleges racial profiling at BC Canadian Tire

An Indigenous family has filed a human rights complaint against retail giant Canadian Tire over two incidents that occurred on the same day at the company’s Coquitlam, B.C., location.

Dawn Wilson said she and her then-66-year-old father, both members of the Heiltsuk Nation, had a new set of tires installed on their car one January day in 2020.

They were told that tire service and an oil change would take about 90 minutes, so they decided to shop at the store.

“We grabbed a stroller and filled it with all sorts of household items,” Dawn Wilson said.

When a cashier called in $600 worth of merchandise at the register, Wilson claimed a security guard demanded to look inside her father’s backpack.

“I looked away, smiled and tried to act like it was normal so my dad wouldn’t feel uncomfortable,” she said. “But when we were outside less than a minute later, I looked into his eyes and saw that it wasn’t like that. “OK, what happened to him?

Wilson said the couple felt humiliated and suspected racial profiling was the reason for the bag check.

Wilson was shaken by the experience and said she told the story to an automotive employee while also paying for her car to be serviced.

“He looked at me and said very loudly in front of a room full of people that his father taught him the difference between an Indian and a native,” Wilson said. “‘An Indian comes off the reservation and begs and steals and demands money.’ ‘ And I asked him, ‘What was I? What was my father?”

A 2017 incident at another Canadian Tire store in Regina led to an apology from the retailer — but not before protests erupted outside the store.

In this case, a store manager approached customer Kamao Cappo, an Anishnabe man, and physically removed him from the store.

Cappo claimed it was also racial profiling.

The parties ultimately settled a complaint Cappo filed with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal.

So far, mediation has failed to resolve the Coquitlam case.

In a statement to CTV News, Canadian Tire said it takes allegations of racial profiling and racism seriously.

“It just shouldn’t happen. The associated retailer who owns the store has been actively at the table and cooperating with the court since the lawsuit was filed,” the retailer said. “We believe this is the appropriate forum for these discussions and we are not in a position to provide further comment.”

Dawn Wilson hopes the incidents will lead to systemic change in the form of improved training and new policies at Canadian Tire stores.

“People who look like us or people with dark skin shouldn’t have to be nervous while shopping,” she said.

If no agreement is reached, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal will hold a public hearing.