A retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer who goes by the online alias Clinton Jaws has come forward with a detailed account of being deceived into participating in a CBC-funded prank show. In an hour-long video posted to his personal YouTube channel, Jaws, a nearly 40-year veteran of the force, described how he and other former officers were lured to a Vancouver event under false pretenses. The event was organized by a production company backed by the public broadcaster, with organizers reportedly claiming that Prince William would be in attendance. The National Post spoke with Jaws, who declined to disclose his real surname.
The Prank and Its Aftermath
Jaws recounted that the entire setup was a ruse orchestrated by Northland Tales, a satirical program described as an "unscripted, half-hour comedy series where an Indigenous activist trio uses pranks as a form of social action." The show is produced by the CBC, with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) serving as a co-producer. Jaws stated that he and five other former officers were subjected to what he called a "humiliation ritual," during which they faced allegations of mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. "They got me, hook line and sinker," Jaws said in the video. "It wasn't even a prank; it was something very odd. I felt evil around me when it was happening."
Fallout and Criticism
The program has drawn sharp criticism in recent days for its tactics, with detractors—including some Conservative Members of Parliament—arguing that the broadcaster used taxpayer dollars to promote activism disguised as comedy. None of the episodes of Northland Tales have aired yet, but the CBC announced on Tuesday that it was pausing the program to ensure it "does not negatively impact our news brand." Jaws expressed bewilderment at the organizers' intentions, noting the overall strangeness of the setup. "I'm sick to my stomach," he said, reflecting on the experience.
Targeting of Conservative Voices
The show appears to have targeted individuals who have expressed skepticism about unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops or who have spoken positively about Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister. The RCMP, often cited by residential school critics as an alleged perpetrator of harms against Indigenous peoples, was also a focus. An RCMP spokesperson confirmed to Juno News that the force was informed of an incident involving a member of the RCMP Veterans Association who volunteered for what they believed was a documentary series about life after retirement. The veteran described being subjected to a prank during filming in Vancouver in March 2026.
Other Victims
In addition to Jaws, other individuals were duped into appearing on the program under false pretenses, including Frances Widdowson, a former Mount Royal University professor, and Lindsay Shepherd, a conservative commentator. The incident has sparked a broader debate about the ethics of publicly funded comedy programming and its impact on public trust.
