BATHURST, N.B. — Louizandre Dauphin says he was just looking for a quiet place to spend a few hours reading when he parked his car near a wharf in northeastern New Brunswick.
That's why the 33-year-old municipal employee in Bathurst says he was a bit stunned when the RCMP pulled him over as he left because they had received several calls from concerned citizens reporting a "suspicious person" on the wharf.
Dauphin, who is the city's director of parks, recreation and tourism, is black and believes that is why people contacted the police.
The Ontario-native says the officer involved was respectful and just doing his job, but he feels it highlights a "systemic problem" with regards to race.
Dauphin says he has received supportive calls and messages from people across the country, and hopes the experience will add to the conversation about race relations.
The RCMP was not immediately available for comment.