FSIN chief says he was racially profiled by RCMP

A Saskatchewan political leader is accusing RCMP of racial profiling.

Chief Bobby Cameron with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) said an RCMP officer recently pulled him over on the highway between Prince Albert and Montreal Lake.

“He comes up to me, walks up to me and I asked him: ‘Why are you stopping me?’ His first question, his first comments coming out of his mouth were: ‘Have you been drinking today?'” Cameron said.

“It goes on constantly. It’s sickening and it’s disgusting,” Cameron said. “It angered me to be asked this question because not all Indians are drunks.”

Cameron said he plans to fight a $175 ticket issued to him for allegedly driving with undue care and attention.

“I’m going to court, I’m pleading not guilty because I asked him: ‘Why are you stopping me?’ He said: ‘Oh I’m stopping you because we got reports on the highway you were speeding,'” Cameron added.

Cameron said the officer clocked him at 102 kilometres per hour.

“I said to him: ‘Is that speeding?’ and he said: ‘No sir.'” Cameron noted.

Cameron said he did speed up to pass a few vehicles on his journey, but slowed down immediately afterward.

Cameron said he has a court date in October on the Montreal Lake Cree Nation.

— With files from paNOW’s Brandon Graziano