Illegal Stop and Search on Hwy 16, Edson, AB

No picture to go with this story. But let me paint one for you. While driving from Jasper, AB to Edmonton, AB today I was stopped by the RCMP. No traffic violation. Just a "routine" stop. Did I know that the limit was 80 km back there? Yes, I sure did- and was under the limit. Did I know that the limit is 110 right here? Yes, I do, but I hadn't had a chance to get up to that speed yet. But these officers thought that I "might" have been going a little fast. No, they were not going to give me a ticket, as nothing illegal had registered on their radar. But they did want to see my licence, registration and insurance- all of which were in order, and provided.

The officer handed me back my papers and then asked me- "do you have anything in your car that we might be interested in?" I assured them, "no, I don't travel with or possess anything which might be dangerous or illegal." Then the questions continued, "where are you going?" "Where are you coming from?" "What is the purpose of your trip?" In Canada, we do- in nearly every circumstance- have the right to move about freely, without explaining our comings and goings to police or other authorities, yet I chose to respond conversationally that I was a musician- travelling from a show in Jasper to another one in Edmonton. "What have you got in your trunk?" responded the officer. "Guitars and gear," I responded. "Can we have a look?" probed the patrol man.

I had nothing to hide, but my rights were now being probed, if not violated, by a couple of guys with guns. I said, "I'll show you my gear, but I am not consenting to a search of my vehicle." When I opened my trunk they reached in, pulled out nearly every bag and went through them, asking me detailed questions about the contents. I repeated that I had not given permission for my vehicle and property to to be searched, after which they simply continued into the front of my car, looking into other bags. In response to my objection that I had not given consent- and there were clearly no reasonable or urgent grounds to justify a search, particularly a search without warrant- the officer told me not to worry. If he only found "a small amount" I would not be charged.

Our conversation was as friendly as possible under the circumstances, and in closing the officers told me that as a single man driving in Alberta with Ontario licence plates, I had raised their suspicions. This on a major highway, just outside a national park, at ten in the morning. I want to add that these officers were polite, and even pleasant during our encounter, giving the impression of being quite dedicated to their work. But this phoney stop- illegal search has happened all too often to me, and to others traveling the Trans Canada highway system. I've now experienced it in nearly every province. This is just the first encounter of the current Tour.

When members of the police engage in this kind of "fishing" expedition- spot profiling, coupled to legally unsound if not entirely illegal and improper means of stopping citizens going about their business, cumulating and escalating to illegal and unjustified, or at least highly questionable searches of vehicles, property, or persons- it represents an assault upon common law, thus upon the common citizen, and thus upon the free and democratic society as a whole. On the side of Hwy 16 today I encountered two criminals with guns, and I was scared. Law breaking by individual officers, or those who supervise and direct them, is a slippery slope. Once disrespect or disregard for law has been demonstrated by a police officer, then the citizen has good cause to fear how the officer may behave towards himself and others.

Under normative circumstances Canadians should not need to worry about being questioned as to their comings and goings, or be subject to unwarranted or illegal searches. Apparently basic police work has become rather boring to some young officers, and the war on drugs- for what that's worth- is all that's left. But these guys have seen too many cop movies. The erosion of civil rights caused by their activities is almost certainly more dangerous than the codes they seek to uphold. Most rural police in Canada do a fabulous job for their communities. It's a real mistake to allow or tolerate officers whose actions erode the confidence and respect due to the many. It's a real crime to diminish the rights and freedoms of Canadians.