The action started on Facebook’s community pages September 24.

Picton resident Matt Monroe went online to complain that his 17-year-old niece, an employee of the Picton Tim Horton’s, was asked by her supervisor if she would be interested in “an Indian boyfriend.”

The worker asked some questions. When she was told the man in question was 25, she replied she was “only 17.”

That’s when the correspondence took a turn.

According to screen shots of a text message chain, the manager, who worked at both the Picton and Wellington Tim Horton’s, identified the man looking for a partner as her brother.

“He need (sic) someone to get permanent residency in Canada,” the text message said. “And if you can help him with that he can pay you $15-20,000 too.”

Mr. Monroe contacted the authorities. On September 29, OPP East Region spokesperson Bill Dickson said the detachment had launched an immigration fraud investigation. That investigation has now been taken over by the Canadian Border Services Agency.

According to Sec. 292 of the Criminal Code, any person who “procures or knowingly aids in procuring a feigned marriage between themselves and another person is guilty of … an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years.”

Meanwhile, the young woman in question resigned from her position, stating she no longer felt safe working at Tim’s.

Mohammed Rauf, who owns both Picton and Wellington branches of the chain, forwarded the Gazette’s inquiry for comment to corporate communications, which responded on his behalf.

“Tim Horton’s restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees who independently manage their own labour for their restaurants. The restaurant owner terminated the manager involved soon after he became aware of the completely unacceptable situation on his team.

“Beyond this, we have no further comment.”

Public Furor

The public outcry on the local Facebook and Reddit pages has been intense — and openly racist.

Despite the dismissal of the manager in question and concomitant OPP and Border Services investigations, tensions ran high. Racist, hateful rhetoric on Facebook, Reddit, TikTok and X is targeting the family that owns the Tim Hortons as well as its non-white staff, and urging a boycott.

Mr. Monroe took the story to Rebel News, which used it to press its well known anti-immigration agenda. The outlet links its video coverage of the story (described above) to a petition on its website demanding “Net Zero Immigration” and an end to the “unmitigated influx of immigrants to Canada.” 

This week’s editorial, Hate Street, examines Rebel News.