"Normal people apologize"
By Joel Ceausu The Suburban, April 30th, 2023
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante missed an opportunity says Joel DeBellefeuille. The Red Coalition (RC) and Black Class Action Secretariat wrote to Plante last month concerning the various cases of racial discrimination, harassment and institutional indifference experienced by municipal employees that were highlighted in a Le Devoir report triggered by the RC, whose director Alain Babineau left the city’s much vaunted Bureau of the Commissioner to Fight Racism and Systemic Discrimination (BRDS).
As reported in The Suburban, the cases ranged from racial slurs, to a city manager having his car wheels tampered with, and even BRDS staff feeling targeted at a workshop for managers.
RC executive director DeBellefeuille says workers have not received an official and public apology from the mayor on behalf of the city, nor any response to their letter. “If you choose to do neither, the city's position and yours in this matter would become apparent” he writes. “You are in a position to create real positive change in the fight against racism and discrimination in the city of Montreal. Too bad you didn't take the opportunity to do the right thing.”
The document also calls for creation of an organization “independent of the municipal administration and non-partisan, whose primary mission is to receive and investigate all complaints of harassment, including individual and systemic discrimination, submitted by employees of the City of Montreal.”
DeBellefeuille said the immediate reaction to the report included “a panic by city director Serge Lamontagne who sent an e-mail to everyone saying to put out a message of zero tolerance,” followed by a second BRDS report, with announcements of a new streamlined and fast-track approach to dealing with cases.
“But there was no official apology from the mayor. This is important” he told The Suburban. “We see big hoopla for a week and a half, but the mayor of Montreal never went to the camera and said ‘What happened to these people was really unacceptable and I would like to apologize and we promise to do better.”
The cases occurred under current and previous municipal administrations, so no ruling party is untainted.
Putting things in motion is fine says DeBellefeuille, but to say “I'm sorry” is something that would resonate heavily within the ranks of the public service and among the political class, making the issue all the more important in their daily deliberations and dealings.
“We have to speak in the language of normal people. And normal people apologize.”
The Suburban asked the mayor's office for comment. Spokespersons for Valérie Plante – who is currently touring European cities – did not respond or acknowledge The Suburban’s queries.
The letter also denounces “the silence of black elected municipal officials from both parties, the majority of whom, despite having been made aware of these situations, have chosen to remain silent.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante missed an opportunity says Joel DeBellefeuille. The Red Coalition (RC) and Black Class Action Secretariat wrote to Plante last month concerning the various cases of racial discrimination, harassment and institutional indifference experienced by municipal employees that were highlighted in a Le Devoir report triggered by the RC, whose director Alain Babineau left the city’s much vaunted Bureau of the Commissioner to Fight Racism and Systemic Discrimination (BRDS).
As reported in The Suburban, the cases ranged from racial slurs, to a city manager having his car wheels tampered with, and even BRDS staff feeling targeted at a workshop for managers.
RC executive director DeBellefeuille says workers have not received an official and public apology from the mayor on behalf of the city, nor any response to their letter. “If you choose to do neither, the city's position and yours in this matter would become apparent” he writes. “You are in a position to create real positive change in the fight against racism and discrimination in the city of Montreal. Too bad you didn't take the opportunity to do the right thing.”
The document also calls for creation of an organization “independent of the municipal administration and non-partisan, whose primary mission is to receive and investigate all complaints of harassment, including individual and systemic discrimination, submitted by employees of the City of Montreal.”
DeBellefeuille said the immediate reaction to the report included “a panic by city director Serge Lamontagne who sent an e-mail to everyone saying to put out a message of zero tolerance,” followed by a second BRDS report, with announcements of a new streamlined and fast-track approach to dealing with cases.
“But there was no official apology from the mayor. This is important” he told The Suburban. “We see big hoopla for a week and a half, but the mayor of Montreal never went to the camera and said ‘What happened to these people was really unacceptable and I would like to apologize and we promise to do better.”
The cases occurred under current and previous municipal administrations, so no ruling party is untainted.
Putting things in motion is fine says DeBellefeuille, but to say “I'm sorry” is something that would resonate heavily within the ranks of the public service and among the political class, making the issue all the more important in their daily deliberations and dealings.
“We have to speak in the language of normal people. And normal people apologize.”
The Suburban asked the mayor's office for comment. Spokespersons for Valérie Plante – who is currently touring European cities – did not respond or acknowledge The Suburban’s queries.
The letter also denounces “the silence of black elected municipal officials from both parties, the majority of whom, despite having been made aware of these situations, have chosen to remain silent.”
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Archive
2023
January
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February
Anti-racism group accuses Montreal-area school of systemic racismCalls grow to change streets named after Christopher Columbus on island of MontrealQuebec sisters afraid to go school, say racism complaints ignoredGroup says private school near Montreal ignored racism complaintsCas de racisme et de cyberintimidation au Collège Bourget de RigaudUn citoyen souhaite «annuler» Christophe Colomb à Pointe-ClaireRACISME ET CYBERINTIMIDATION: LE COLLÈGE BOURGET MIS EN DEMEUREBlack anti-racism groups lob volleys at Canada and QuebecProminent Quebeckers voice support for Trudeau’s anti-Islamophobia representativeProminent Québecers plead for federal anti-Islamophobia rep to be given a chancePetition against Bill 21 tabled at National AssemblyMontreal police brotherhood says it's too easy to blame its members for racial profilingLongueuil, other Quebec police slow in implementing race-based data frameworkAucune accusation ne sera portée contre les policiers qui ont tué Junior OlivierCalls for police accountability as officers who fatally shot Jean René Olivier face no chargesLack of care on Loyola property "unacceptable":DeBellefeuilleGroups call to cancel puppet show featuring minstrel characterUn spectacle pour enfants sème la controverse dans l’ouest de MontréalUn exemple de « racisme systémique », dénoncent des associationsLocal Montreal play carries on despite upset over controversial puppetFamily of man killed by Repentigny police says lawsuit incomingLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier poursuit la Ville de RepentignyLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier, abattu par des policiers de Repentigny en août 2021, a déposé une poursuite contre la Ville de RepentignyFamily of Black man killed by Repentigny police files to sue city for $430K in damages
March
Red Coalition alleges SPVM withholding findings on racial profilingAnti-racism group says Montreal police withheld findings of racial profiling reportUN GROUPE ANTIRACISTE AFFIRME QUE LE SPVM A RETENU LES CONCLUSIONS D'UN RAPPORT SUR LE PROFILAGE RACIALThis boarded-up building lays bare Montreal's crumbling social housing systemCity of Longueuil facing contempt charges related to police racial profilingLE PROFILAGE RACIAL EXERCÉ PAR LA POLICE DANS LA MIRE DU MINISTRE BONNARDELQuebec Bill on police practices facing criticismEthics complaint filed against Montreal executive committee chairperson"Smokescreen; a dog and pony show"City of Longueuil, Que. gets postponement of contempt of court charges
May
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July
Red Coalition to SPVM: amend random stops policyLa Coalition rouge presse le SPVM de «réviser» sa Politique d’interpellationRed Coalition demanding Montreal police review street checks policyUn groupe de pression veut recenser l’ethnicité des personnes interpelléesAnti-racism group wants Montreal police to review street check policy'Unusual time to be driving': Anti-racism group calls on Montreal police to modify street checksKirkland resident says he was pulled over in NDG for being BlackLaval police handcuff, illegally search Black military man’s home after street check: Red CoalitionLaval man accuses police of racial profiling, intends to file human rights complaintMilitary aerospace engineer says he was racially profiled by Laval policeCanadian Forces’ member out for run ‘mocked,’ alleges racial profiling by policeMan alleges random police stop in South Shore led to illegal search, fine for contraband cigarettesMontreal man to file human rights complaint over traffic stop by Roussillon police‘Gross incompetence:’ Man ticketed for contraband cigarettes says he was racially profiled
September
October
Montreal man handcuffed, fined after SQ traffic stop; racial profiling complaint filedAnti-racism group says two Black Montreal firefighters faced years of racial abuseBlack Montreal firefighters allege racism in the workplaceLe Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal visé par une plainte devant la Commission des droits de la personneUne plainte déposée contre le SIM pour racisme et discrimination systémiqueAnti-racism group says two Black Montreal firefighters faced years of racial abuse«Mot en n»: des pompiers de Montréal victimes de racisme portent plainte2 Black firefighters in Montreal faced years of racial abuse, anti-racism group says
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