canadian tire

Man in viral video claims he was racially discriminated at Canadian Tire store in Ontario

A two-part TikTok video taken at a Canadian Tire location in Ontario has amassed nearly four million views after a man claimed he was racially discriminated against by staff at the store. 

The videos, uploaded by user @lorisroston on Monday, were taken at the Canadian Tire location in Bowmanville, Ont. 

The first part of the video shows the man being approached by three staff members at the store, one of whom says, "Yes sir, I saw you over there, you were swapping the drills." 

After requesting to see the store's video footage, one staff member tells the man that the aisle in question doesn't have cameras. "It's me, who I saw. I saw you," an employee tells the man. 

@lorisroston Discrimination#Jamaicanbeingraciallyprofiled#beingblackincanada#beingblackinbowmanvilleontario#f ♬ original sound - Jewayne

Following a brief exchange, one of the staff members instructs another to call the police. "Welcome to Canada as a Black man. This is what can happen to you," the man says as he patiently waits for police to arrive at the scene. 

In the second part of the video, the man's wife steps in to defend him while the staff member repeatedly says, "I didn't accuse him."

"This is ridiculous. My husband's trolley doesn't have a drill," the man's wife says. "He didn't walk out with a drill. He didn't try to purchase a drill at a cheaper cost so why the hell are you accusing my husband of anything? If I'm shopping, I pick up something, I don't want it, I put it back down."

The employee continues to state that the aisle housing the store's drills doesn't have cameras. 

@lorisroston Beingblackinbowmanvilleontario#raciallyprofiled#bewarned#superwife#strongpartner#beingblackinbowmanvilleontario ♬ original sound - Jewayne

"You need to lose your job. You know why? Because a customer is allowed to pick 10, 15 stuff and put them back down, doesn't mean they're doing anything," the wife says. 

"If he doesn't try to take it out the store, he doesn't try to purchase it. Did he try to put an expensive item into a cheaper box? He didn't do nothing! He left the drill. So why the hell are you accusing him?" 

During the exchange, the staff member tells the wife that, "we do not need his business," and that "his intention was not good."

In just a few days, the videos have already picked up thousands of responses, with many commending the man for staying calm and filming the whole ordeal. Others urged the man to file a lawsuit and praised his wife for boldly standing up for him.

"All those cameras in that place and no video? Man please! I would demand to see the video," one comment reads.

"So they said you swapped a more expensive drill for a cheap one? They should have the product you swapped then no?" another person asked.

"Treating our customers with respect and courtesy is a core value of our company," a Canadian Tire spokesperson told blogTO. 

"Canadian Tire has strict protocols and training programs in place and the 3rd party Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) acted in accordance with them based on what he witnessed in the store." 

Lead photo by

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