Quebec says police need power to randomly stop people. Can it convince Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court of Canada is hearing arguments today on a Quebec case that could have far-reaching implications on policing across Canada.

Quebec’s attorney general is set to argue against a lower court decision that invalidated random police traffic stops, finding that they led to racial profiling and violated Quebecers’ rights.

Joseph-Christopher Luamba, the young man at the origin of this case, was pulled over by police nearly a dozen times without reason in the 18 months after he got his driver’s licence.

He told Quebec Superior Court in 2022 that when he sees a police cruiser, he gets ready to pull over.

Luamba, who is Black, said he believes he was racially profiled during the traffic stops — none of which resulted in a ticket.

"I was frustrated," he told the court back then. "Why was I stopped? I followed the rules. I didn't commit any infractions."