Worker who shadowed man suspended

REGINA A statement from Giant Tiger says an employee of its Avonhurst Drive location in Regina has been suspended pending investigation after a filmed incident showing an Indigenous man being followed through the store.

The statement, issued by Alison Scarlett, states Giant Tiger was made aware of the incident Thursday at its Towers Mall location.

“Giant Tiger is a proud community retailer and we take matters of this nature very seriously,” the statement reads. “What occurred in the video in question is a direct contradiction of our brand values as well as our policies and should never have occurred. The employee in question has been suspended while we undergo an investigation. We have reached out to the gentleman in the video directly to apologize.”

The video, shared on social media, shows a man walking through the store while apparently shadowed by a staff member.

“Every time I come here,” the man says on the video he shot showing the staff member trailing him as he looks for groceries.

“I’m going to go grab rice and butter,” he says at one point. “Come on, man. Follow me.”

Attempts to contact the man Sunday were unsuccessful.

In an email responding to a request for additional information, Scarlett confirmed the employee is a “loss prevention associate employed by this particular store.”

“I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics of the suspension at this time,” she added.

The incident appears to bear similarities to one that occurred at the East Regina Canadian Tire in July, which was live-streamed by an Indigenous man removed from the store where he had gone to buy a chainsaw. The employee involved in that instance reportedly accused the man of stealing. Shortly after, the store said the employee is no longer working there.