Latest news with #IndigenousConsumerRacialProfiling
Global News
18 hours ago
- Global News
Report highlights Indigenous discrimination following incident at B.C. Canadian Tire
A new study out of York University is highlighting concerns about Indigenous racial profiling. The study is called 'Indigenous Consumer Racial Profiling in Canada: A Neglected Human Rights Issue.' Its co-author says discrimination in retail environments is commonplace. Dr. Les Jacobs told Global News it's 'a daily, everyday experience, that they are in consumer interactions, whether they're shopping, whether they're going into a bank.' Jacobs noted an incident in 2020 at a Canadian Tire in Coquitlam. Richard Wilson and his daughter Dawn were buying tires and getting an oil change. They did some shopping, then, at the till, Wilson says a security guard asked to look through his bag. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Wilson said, 'I feel racially profiled (while) I've been followed around in the store. It really bothers me, I just try not to let it bother me but it does.' Story continues below advertisement 2:08 Canadian Medical Associations apologizes for harms to Indigenous people Dawn Wilson says the profiling continued when she complained to an employee. 'He looked at me and he said 'My dad taught me the difference between an Indian and a native.' And I said 'Yeah, what's that?' And he said an Indian comes from the reserve and begs and steals and demands money.' Canadian Tire did not respond to our request for comment about the alleged incident. Dr. Les Jacobs commented, 'There's a real opportunity here for a major Canadian retailer like Canadian Tire to work with researchers to really understand the extent of the problem.' York University's study has numerous recommendations, which include promoting restorative justice and education. The incident at Canadian Tire will be heard by the BC Human Rights Tribunal in October.
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
New Expert Report Reveals Harms of Indigenous Consumer Racial Profiling in Canada; Report Submitted as Evidence in Canadian Tire Human Rights Complaint
Effects of racial profiling and need for Indigenous-specific remedies will be focus of BC Human Rights Tribunal complaint hearing against Canadian Tire, Oct. 27 – 31, 2025. VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 14, 2025 /CNW/ - The Heiltsuk Nation is releasing an expert report today on Indigenous Consumer Racial Profiling (CRP), as part of filings for a BC Human Rights Tribunal complaint against Canadian Tire that will be heard in Vancouver, Oct. 27th – 31st. Authored by two of Canada's leading human rights experts, Dr. Lorne Foster of York University and Dr. Les Jacobs of Ontario Tech University, Indigenous Consumer Racial Profiling in Canada: A Neglected Human Rights Issue identifies individual and collective harms of Indigenous CRP in Canada, and makes recommendations for Indigenous-specific remedies such as healing ceremonies, cultural safety training, and systemic data collection reforms, as well as noting the urgent need for further human rights-based study in the area. The full report can be downloaded here. An executive summary is available here. "Consumer racial profiling against Indigenous peoples in Canada is a critically important human rights issue that exacerbates intergenerational trauma and undermines reconciliation efforts," said Drs. Foster and Jacobs. "Corporations like Canadian Tire must advance anti-racist practices in commercial settings and participate in Indigenous-specific remedies such as healing ceremonies when racist incidents do occur, if they are to meet their obligations under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The report has been filed with the BC Human Rights Tribunal for an upcoming hearing of a complaint (HRT Case Number CS-003916) against Canadian Tire Corporation, Pagalis Sales Ltd. doing business as Canadian Tire Store 608, and Blackbird Security Inc. for incidents of alleged racial profiling and racism experienced by Heiltsuk members, Richard and Dawn Wilson, at a store in Coquitlam while shopping on January 17, 2020. Interview footage and b-roll related to the complaint is available at
