Canadian police forces face allegations of racial discrimination

A police ethics tribunal in Quebec has ruled that two Sûreté du Québec officers engaged in racial profiling against a Black driver during a 2020 traffic stop in Mascouche. The Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière found that the officers provided differential treatment based on race or color, describing the incident as a “manifest example of discrimination.”

The tribunal determined that the search of the driver’s vehicle was unjustified and abusive. As a result, the officers face unpaid suspensions of 35 and 20 working days. The decision noted inaccuracies in the officers' reports and rejected claims that they were unable to identify the driver's race.

In Ontario, the Black Class Action Secretariat is calling for an investigation into the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) regarding its recruitment and probationary processes. The organization is requesting that the province’s inspector general of policing examine evaluation practices and outcome data following allegations from three Black recruits who claim they faced racial discrimination during their probationary year.