A Canadian Tire logo is displayed on a store in Ottawa on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
COQUITLAM, B.C. – An Indigenous father and daughter in British Columbia are accusing Canadian Tire and its third party security company of racial profiling and racism after they say he was singled out at a store in Coquitlam and an employee responded with a racist comment.
Dawn Wilson is speaking publicly about the human rights complaint she and her father, Richard Wilson, filed after years of trying to settle the dispute herself, saying she hopes it will lead to systemic change at the retail giant.
The complaint alleges that on January 17, 2020, the pair purchased new tires for installation and shopped in-store while they waited.
At the checkout, Wilson says a guard with the company Blackbird Security asked to search her father’s backpack, despite other customers also having similar bags.
Wilson, a member of the Heiltsuk Nation, says when she raised what happened with one of the store’s mechanics, he told her how his dad taught him the “difference between a ‘Indian’ and a Native” was that “‘an Indian comes from the reserve and begs and steals and demands money, and Natives do not.”
A statement from the Canadian Tire Corporation says racial profiling and racism should not happen and the owner of the store has been cooperating with the tribunal since the claim was filed.
Wilson says she wants Canadian Tire to apologize, improve training and provide financial compensation including money that would directly support urban members of the Heiltsuk Nation.
Last year the Wilson’s sought support and lawyers for the Heiltsuk Nation got involved in the case.
Elected chief Marilyn Slett says in a statement that Canadian Tire has been unwilling to meaningfully engage in resolution efforts ever since.
“Trust has been broken. Canadian Tire had no reason to search Richard’s backpack, except that he looked Indigenous,” she says.
“The racist ‘lesson’ that was shared with Dawn was disgusting and shows just how much work Canadian Tire must do before it can earn back the trust of Indigenous customers and people of colour. Truth and reconciliation require they admit what happened and ensure it never happens again.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024
