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A Mountie who failed to declare $1,600 worth of goods to customs officials when coming back from Florida has been fined 45 days pay.

According to a recently published Jan. 19 RCMP Conduct Board decision, RCMP Const. Judith Nolin told two Canada Border Services Agency officers she had $600 of goods with her and then verbally abused the customs officials when they searched her bag.

Const. Nolin accused the border agent of "discrimination against white females" before telling them they should be "spending more time on people who are likely to blow up planes."

The Montreal-area RCMP officer went into the tirade when arriving back at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport from a three-week vacation in Florida in 2019.

While the officer told customs she was only bringing $600 of goods back into Canada she actually had $2,200 of purchases in her luggage.

The decision said the altercation started when the officer's NEXUS card didn't work so she had to go to another desk.

She then lied to the customs officer about what she'd bought when in the U.S. and was flagged for another screening.

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Const. Nolin then presented four receipts for just over $1,000. The customs officials then found three more receipts for $1,200.

The decision says she immediately told the Border Services officer she "worked for the government in national security" and the Border Services officer told her that her occupation was not relevant.

She then told the Border Services officer that "they" did not like the RCMP, which was why she was being "constantly targeted and harassed" and it was "discrimination against white females."

The decision said she had crossed the border 46 times in six years and this was the first time she had been flagged for a second screening.

Const. Nolin then made numerous "inappropriate comments" to the border guard.

"Don’t they think they should be spending more time on people who are likely to blow up planes," Const. Nolin said. "Some groups are just more likely to commit crimes."

The border guard later testified she was a Muslim Arab woman and that Const. Nolin's words were "definitely not random."

Const. Nolin then went on to say it's a "known fact" that Canada Border Services Agency didn't like the RCMP.

She also told the border guard she arrested people for a living and so may have traces of drugs on her. She asked the guard why it took so long when the RCMP can arrest a terrorist in 10 minutes.

"This is how this country thanks me, after all, I’ve done," she said, before adding, "It’s a f****** gong show."

The border officer said Const. Nolin was trying to intimidate her with her behaviour.

The decision said Const. Nolin was fined at the airport and had her NEXUS card seized. The decision does not say how much the fine was.

When Const. Nolin returned to work she then lied to her RCMP supervisor saying she hadn't declared items she'd bought to the value of $600, not $2,200.

The decision said Const. Nolin was later charged with making a false statement to a border agent. In July 2021, she pleaded guilty and received an absolute discharge, which means she will not have a criminal record.

There is no explanation in the decision as to why Const. Nolin wasn't charged with failing to accurately declare the value of goods imported into Canada.

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The decision said throughout the RCMP Conduct Board hearing Const. Nolin had many "significant inconsistencies" in her testimony and was sometimes "evasive."

"She constantly tried to justify why she declared having $600.00 worth of goods instead of $2,200," the Conduct Board said. "The explanations provided throughout the conduct process became implausible and, as a whole, lacked an air of reality."

Const. Nolin had said she was converted from U.S. to Canadian dollars, said some items were a gift, and "simply forgot" about the three additional receipts the border guard found in her luggage.

One receipt was for a $700 pair of shoes and the Conduct Board points out it's highly unlikely that a person wouldn't remember whether such expensive shoes were a gift or whether they had bought them themselves.

The Conduct Board also highlights differences in what Const. Nolin said during its hearing and the separate criminal proceedings.

The Conduct Board also said it was "totally unacceptable" and "unprofessional" that Const. Nolin used the F-word "at least 47 times" while its staff were interviewing her as part of its investigation.

"Moreover, I find that she was utterly disrespectful to women in law enforcement who, just like her, wear a uniform," the Conduct Board said.

Ultimately, the Conduct Board fined Const. Nolin 45 days pay, although the decision doesn't give an amount, and she will be ineligible for promotion for three years.

She will also have to work under close supervision for a period of one year and write an apology letter to the border guard.

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