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Ottawa, provinces ask Supreme Court to uphold law that allows random traffic stops

On Jan. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments on whether laws allowing random traffic stops permit police to stop motorists without reasonable suspicion.
In 2022, Quebec Superior Court declared the random-stop provision inoperative, and the Quebec Court of Appeal upheld this in 2024 after Joseph-Christopher Luamba said he was repeatedly stopped without tickets.
Federal Justice Department lawyer Marc Ribeiro argued police need random stops to combat impaired driving, while MADD and Canadian Association of Police Chiefs called spot checks effective and attorneys general suggested data tracking and easier victim recourse.
The panel of judges at the Supreme Court of Canada took the case under advisement and did not say when a decision would come, while a ruling could reshape national policing powers by preserving or curtailing random-stop powers.
The 1990 R. v. Ladouceur decision held that random stops were justified to check licences and impairment, while Fernando Belton said it predates studies showing racial profiling is well documented but hard to prove.

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Ottawa, provinces ask Supreme Court to uphold law that allows routine traffic stops

MONTREAL — Lawyers representing the attorneys general of Canada and several provinces asked the Supreme Court of Canada on Tuesday to uphold a Quebec law allowing police to make routine traffic stops without cause, while civil rights groups insiste

2 hours ago·Collingwood, Canada

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