Marlene Jennings joins The Red Coalition

By News Staff
Posted Jun 21, 2022, 1:41PM EDT.
Last Updated Jun 21, 2022, 2:39PM EDT.
Marlene Jennings has joined The Red Coalition as its Director of Independent Oversight and Good Governance.
The group is dedicated to eliminating racial profiling and systemic racism in Montreal, and across the country.
“I share the values, which is to advocate and lobby for measures first for the recognition of systemic discrimination, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, racism and discrimination across the board,” said Jennings at a press conference on Tuesday.
“This organization has the potential to change the landscape, because if we do our work well, we will have tentacles across Canada.”
Jennings is A former Liberal MP, known as an expert in independent civil oversight of law enforcement.
She was the first Black female member of the Quebec Police Commission when she was appointed in 1988.
When there was a reform of the system of policing and police efforts to create the Commissioner for Police Ethics for Quebec, Jennings was appointed Deputy Commissioner for Police Ethics.
Most recently, she was President of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) and has been leading the fight against Bill 96 – to protect Anglophone rights.
Jennings said The Red Coalition will not only coordinate activities and lobby across Canada to get all levels of government to recognize systemic discrimination and racism, but will work with them to ensure they take positive measures to redress and address.
“And when I say redress, many people don’t talk about that. They talk about addressing systemic racism. Systemic discrimination. Well, yes, you can address it and you can change things going forward. But if redress is not part of the equation, it means, unfortunately, that many people who have suffered, real wrongs that have affected their lives physically, financially, psychologically, will not see any change for themselves. So, yes, redress is a big part of it.”
Jennings said she’s excited to be part of The Red Coalition and work with them, “I think we’re going to do some pretty darn good things.”