The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is conducting an investigation after a video circulating online this week shows uniformed members of its force having a racist conversation.

One officer said, "Our days are done. White man's day is done."

Another replies, "you're probably right."

A third said, "you're onto something."

"The population of North America, we're the minority I think even at this point," one goes on to say. "You go to Toronto and every couple you see walking by is a mixed couple. You don't see white and white people together. It's white [and] Asian, white [and] East Indian. I told my son he can find a Chinese, Asian girlfriend. If he wants to stay in the mix, get your foot in the door."

The conversation is an example of the "enduring notion of white ownership of this nation," despite North America first belonging to Indigenous people and being "built on the back of free labour, of Blacks under slavery, and also exploitation of Chinese labour." Xiaobei Chen, a sociology professor at Carleton University, also said the conversation is problematic because it suggests using Asian women as the solution to the "disappointment that they're feeling" — and is an example of the long-standing sexual exploitation of Asian women. Chen said she hopes OPS uses this video to address white "nationalistic notions and racism and colonialism within the police force."

One of the officers in the video, Const. Paul Heffler, said his words were taken out of context. He said the conversation in question was harmless and the comments about demographics were based off an article he had read. "In my opinion, I didn't see racism in that. I didn't see it when I said it and then when I listen to it again, I still didn't see it," Heffler said.