Indigenous man, granddaughter who were wrongly handcuffed reach settlement with Vancouver police
A settlement has been reached in a human rights complaint filed by an Indigenous man and his granddaughter who were handcuffed by police during a 2019 incident at a Vancouver bank.
The settlement, announced Wednesday, includes damages, a community investment and a "two-year collaborative policy-making process to fight systemic racism."
Maxwell Johnson filed a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal complaint against the Vancouver Police Board in 2019 over racial profiling and wrongful detention.
In December of that year, Johnson and his then-12-year-old granddaughter went to open a bank account at the BMO on Burrard Street. However, after suspecting them of fraud because they were using Indian Status Cards as identification, a BMO employee called 911.
Two police officers responded to the incident and placed the pair in handcuffs. They were eventually released and the bank later apologized.
"One of the things I keep seeing is my granddaughter standing there on that street crying while she's being handcuffed. I don't think any parent or grandparent should ever see that in their lifetime,” Johnson said with a quivering voice at a news conference to announce the settlement.
“She must have been about 20 or 30 feet away from me and all I could do was stand there and not do nothing."
Surveillance video from outside the bank that day shows police leading the pair and putting the handcuffs on them as onlookers watch on the busy downtown sidewalk.
At the news conference, Torianne, Johnson’s now-15-year-old granddaughter, spoke publicly about the incident for the first time.
"I'm still healing from that day. I want to tell everyone that Indigenous people experience discrimination, including children like me. From when we are kids, we understand that people treat us differently,” she said. "I also want to tell everyone, especially Indigenous kids, to be strong and speak out when they face discrimination."
As part of the agreement, the Vancouver Police Board admitted the conduct of officers discriminated against Johnson and his granddaughter based on their Indigenous identities.
"The board recognizes the significance of the settlement we have reached with Mr. Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter," a statement from the police board said.
"We are looking forward to this opportunity to work in partnership with the groups involved by reviewing and improving a range of culturally sensitive and relevant practices and policies, in particular those focused on Indigenous people … It is our sincere goal to create a more meaningful relationship with Indigenous communities, and we believe the terms of this settlement will go a long way in furthering this goal."
The agreement included confidential damages awarded to Johnson and his family. As well, $100,000 will be given to Heiltsuk First Nation's restorative justice department to be used on programming for at-risk girls.
The police board is also tasked with creating a position for an anti-Indigenous-racism office or officer to deal with future discrimination complaints brought forward against the VPD by Indigenous people.
B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner will monitor progress on the commitments in the settlement.
“As B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner, my role in this audit is to review and report on the parties’ compliance with the terms of the agreement related to systemic change in the police force, including the Vancouver Police Board’s commitment to take certain steps such as improving training for officers and improving accessibility of complaint mechanisms for Indigenous complainants.” Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender said in a statement.
Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chief Marilyn Slett is optimistic that some of the commitments made by the police board will have a positive impact on the community, particularly the funding for programming for at-risk girls.
“That will mentor and give confidence to young women in our community that have faced trauma in their lives,” said Slett. “There’s so much obstacles that our young people face but there’s so much strength in our community and these programs draw on the strength of our people.”
Members of the police board will also apologize at a special ceremony in the big house in Johnson and Torianne’s home community of Bella Bella next month.
"We hope it's the beginning of addressing the systemic discrimination and racism within law enforcement,” said Slett.
The Vancouver Police Department, which is separate from the civilian police board that agreed to the settlement, declined an interview request and told CTV News to direct all future inquiries to the Heiltsuk Nation.
It’s not clear if VPD Chief Constable Adam Palmer – who has previously said systemic racism does not exist in Canadian policing – or any other actual police officers will attend the ceremony in Bella Bella.
If only civilian members of the police board make the trip and participate in the apology, that could raise questions about whether VPD brass is actually committed to the changes set out in the settlement agreement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Police in Paris detain a man wearing fake explosives vest at Iran's Consulate
A man wearing a fake explosive vest and making threats was detained Friday outside the Iranian Consulate in Paris after police locked down the area, authorities said. His motive was unclear.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.