Saskatoon security guard incident shows Canada is not so different from U.S. in treatment of minorities

WARNING: The above video may be disturbing to some people

This Opinion piece was written by Fife Ogunde, a research specialist and societal affairs commentator based in Saskatchewan.

For more information aboutCBC's Opinion section, please see theFAQ

Last week a video of a security guard at a Saskatoon grocery store trying to handcuff an Indigenous woman went viral on social media.

Unsurprisingly, the video recording provoked a reaction from First Nations leaders, who called for the dismissal of the security guard and used it as an opportunity to reiterate concerns about the treatment of Indigenous people in Saskatchewan. Saskatoon's mayor also condemned the incident.

I personally witnessed a similar incident in a Regina mall a couple of weeks ago. Four security personnel held down an Indigenous man for some minutes before leading him out of a store.

Reflecting on these scenes as a Black person, an altogether familiar picture appears. It is George Floyd and Eric Garner all over again, only that this time "Indigenous" is substituted for "Black" and we are in Saskatchewan, not the U.S.

While the outcomes were not fatal as with Garner and Floyd, parallels can be drawn: aggressive use of force in the name of law enforcement, desperate cries for assistance from the racial minorities involved and the non-violent or life-threatening nature of the "suspected crime."

These parallels point to an uncomfortable reality: racial minorities are subject to dehumanizing treatment by law enforcement agents.

A stark reminder

While Canada has made some progress since the residential schools era, where Indigenous people were subject to some of the worst forms of racial discrimination, unresolved issues remain.

In Saskatchewan, Indigenous people form the vast majority of those incarcerated or remanded in correctional centres. Saskatchewan has been making efforts to right past wrongs: stopping birth alerts, removing statutes of past leaders with histories of racial prejudice. Unfortunately, such steps seem merely cosmetic if Indigenous people do not experience significant changes in their daily lives, particularly when it comes to law enforcement.

No one should lose their dignity on the grounds of law enforcement.- Fife Ogunde

The incidents discussed above represent a stark reminder of how Saskatchewan can still do better in recognizing the inherent dignity of racial minorities, particularly those suspected of being on the wrong side of the law. There are far better ways of dealing with someone suspected of shoplifting than violently pinning them down, especially if they are not violent or posing a significant risk to others.

Saskatchewan should not need its own George Floyd to learn about the sanctity of human life and dignity being protected, even in the course of law enforcement.

'No one should lose their dignity'

Arrest powers exercised at any level should be done in accordance with human dignity. Every human being has an inherent dignity recognized under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the various human rights instruments to which Canada is a party.

At no level of law enforcement must anyone be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms says so.

Of course, this is not to say that there are no instances when use of force is necessary, but force must be proportionate to the situation. Civilian 'security guards' at stores and shopping centres should not parade themselves as law enforcement and their ability to use force must be extremely limited, if allowed at all.

More focus should be placed on non-forceful intervention and de-escalation. In all of it, human dignity must be preserved.

We may need to re-evaluate when arrest powers can be exercised, particularly by civilians. There is a difference between stealing a vehicle and nipping a $4 biscuit from Dollarama. Should similar arrest powers be exercisable for both?

This is where community support systems that limit law enforcement involvement come in. A recently announced pilot project in Regina aiming for a more inclusive and safe downtown is an example. It's goal is to have the city work more with community support leaders and Indigenous groups to assist the most vulnerable individuals and limit the need for police involvement in dealing with non-violent crimes.

If this initiative is successful, similar programs could be adopted throughout the province. Crucial to the success of this kind of community support program is that it retains its 'community' character. Those involved should not implicitly or explicitly transform themselves into law enforcement officials.

Human dignity is a crucial aspect of any societal structure. No one should lose their dignity on the grounds of law enforcement.

Interested in writing for us? We accept pitches for Opinion and First Person pieces from Saskatchewan residents who want to share their thoughts on the news of the day, issues affecting their community or who have a compelling personal story to share. No need to be a professional writer!

Read more about what we're looking for here, then emailsask-opinion-grp@cbc.cawith your idea.

• Read more opinion and point of view pieces from CBC Saskatchewan

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.