First of all, by reading this, I’d like to thank you for your time and energy. I’d ask that you please remain objective while reading this and come to your own decision. However, I am just presenting a side that some may or may not be familiar with. I’d like to reiterate an all too familiar story here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. I would like to speak of what could be termed, “Phantom Policies”, “Chameleon Policies”, or plain old, racial profiling. By these, I mean policies that suddenly appear out of the blue, or those policies that adapt to the environment or policies that adapt to the color of ones skin. Sounds contentious, doesn’t it? Well, I really wish it wasn’t this way.

We live in a First World, advanced democratic nation like Canada who prides itself in the international arena as a leader on the human rights forefront. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the United Nations website. Further, why is it that racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and stigmas are so prevalent in this First World of ours? That’s a pretty bold statement to make, now isn’t it? Think about it.

Here’s the scenario:

It was a night like any other night in Saskatoon. On this night, about 10 of my friends and I were out on the town to celebrate a birthday. After supper, we decided to head to McGuire’s lounge in the Grosvenor Park shopping center, on 8th street.

We all proceeded into the bar together but I drifted off to another table to say hello to my cousin, who I had not seen for some time. My group proceeds to another table to take seat. As I take my coat off and place it on my chair, our area server performs her customary role and asks if she could get me anything. I asked for a menu, she was quick to respond to my request. As my table converses, the server, who we will call, “Darlene” asks if I am ready to order and I agree that I am. Upon placing my order, the following conversation ensues:

Jordan: “I’ll have the cheeseburger and a coke.”

Darlene: “Are you going to be starting a tab?”

Jordan: “Yeah.”

Darlene: “Well, I’m going to need a credit card from you in order to do so.”

Not thinking too much of this because this has become somewhat standard in most establishments, I give her my visa.

About 5 minutes pass by, Darlene approaches our table with my visa in hand and a receipt. She then proceeds to ask me to sign the pre-authorized visa statement for $40 before I am to get my meal. Confused, I asked why she pre-authorized my credit card in the first place? Then, I asked, why did you pre-authorize my credit card $40 when my meal would be no more than $12?

Darlene’s response: “Oh, that’s just what I thought you would be spending tonight and that’s what we do for everyone.”

Still confused, I signed the receipt not thinking much of the injustice that had just incurred.

I thought to myself: This is obviously standard procedure to pre-authorize everybody’s credit card, in the event that they are starting a tab.

Armed with this assumption, I asked the the table where my friends are all sitting the following, “Did you guys start a tab? and are you drinking alcohol?” They responded yes to both of my questions, then I asked the following, “Who’s credit card did you leave and how much were you pre-authorized?”

The table looked at me puzzled and stated they did not have to leave a credit card.

This in turn, puzzled me.

What had just happenned? Was this a phantom policy that only comes into effect in certain situations? Was this a chameleon policy of McGuires, which only comes into effect in certain scenarios? Or, was it, and I hate to suggest it, racial profiling?

Why was the table full of non-visible minorities, who were both drinking and eating, not pre-authorized? Or, why did no one have to give up their credit card for the tab?

I was perplexed.

I informed my table of friends of the process I had to follow in order to get my meal and they suggested I inquire more about this policy with the server. So I did.

Jordan: “Excuse me, I was just wondering why I was charged the pre-authorization on my credit card? I have never been pre-authorized ever to eat somewhere before.”

Darlene: “It’s just what we do here, we have had a lot of problems with people walking out and not paying.”

Jordan: “That’s understandable, I understand why you would need a credit card but why the need to pre-authorize? Did you need to make sure I had enough money?

Darlene: “It’s just what we do for everyone.”

Jordan: “Oh really?”

Turning toward my table of friends, who Darlene does not know I am with, I inform Darlene that she did not take a credit card for their tab or pre-authorize their group. Surprised, she readily goes and asks for a credit card for the tab. It should be noted that the table was still not pre-authorized.

Obviously, this is standard practice to get someone or a large group’s credit card in order to prevent walk outs without paying? This sounds fair.

However, is this a discretionary method in that, it is up to the server to decide who to charge? If so, how does the server decide who to pre-authorize? Is this random, ie, every 5th group gets pre-authorized? Or, is this standard procedure/policy in that everyone gets the same treatment? Furthermore, how does the server decide how much to charge each individual/group? Will it always be $40?

The above case would denote otherwise and I would challenge McGuire’s to prove my assertion invalid.

A bit about me. I’m a 23 year old Aboriginal male from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and a University of Saskatchewan fifth year student. I have a degree in political studies and currently completing an advanced ceriticate in Aboriginal Public Administration. I’m active in the community, I coach a Saskatoon Youth Soccer team, active at school, I am an executive member of a students’ society, avid participant in the work force, family oriented, a tax payer, and a concerned citizen.

My cousin and his girlfriend as well are Aboriginal students. I will not speak of their case but they brushed this occurance off as a minor nuisance, as they have been accustomed to this behavior and treatment from the staff at McGuires, which I will note, is atrocious.

I will submit a column to the Star Phoenix and the University of Saskatchewan publication, the Sheaf. I have informed some law professor’s of this situation and they have offered some advice, which I will greatly consider and appreciate. Subsequently, I am extremely disturbed by the events that occurred on October 17, 2006 at McGuire’s. I will make a concerted effort, personally, to boycott the establishment and services of this place of injustice.

I hope that those of you who read this can take this case, which as I have discovered is not an isolated one, into account when deciding on a venue for meeting.

Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, questions, or concerns and pass this scenario along.

In the next coming days, I will make the trek to McGuire’s again, in an attempt to talk to the manager about their policies. Further, I will scan the receipt and attempt to place it on the blog, so you all can have a look at it.

I will sign-off with a defintion from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of:
in-jus-tice :

1: violation of a person’s rights: UNFAIRNESS 2: an unjust act or deed: WRONG

Thank you very much for your time,

Jordan