The Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall calls for an independent investigation into racism within the municipal public service.
Racist incidents are too numerous and too rarely punished, denounced the elected officials of Ensemble Montreal on Wednesday.
“An independent external investigation will allow us to know the extent of racism and discrimination suffered by employees from diversity at the City of Montreal,” said the mayor of Saint-Laurent, Alan DeSousa. “By having a complete diagnosis, we can take the right actions and change the culture of the Montreal public service. »
The elected officials were reacting to an investigation by the Duty, which relayed the testimonies of many municipal employees who were victims of racist remarks or behavior. They complained about the way the City of Montreal handled their complaints.
Abdelhaq Sari, elected opposition member in Montreal North, testified that he himself had been the victim of racist comments from his superiors while working at the Montreal Police Service (SPVM). He said he did not file a complaint to avoid repercussions on his career, a dilemma that many racialized employees face. “Racism and discrimination are everywhere,” he said.
Opposition elected officials also expressed their disappointment with the work of the Commissioner for the Fight against Racism and Systemic Discrimination, appointed two years ago. “It is clear that since he was hired more than two years ago, progress has not taken place as quickly as hoped,” argued Ensemble Montreal. The opposition denounces in particular the fact that the commissioner, Bochra Manai, has never published an “action plan” as planned. Instead, she prepared a list of “commitments”.
On Tuesday, the mayor of Montreal Valérie Plante had also reacted to the investigation of the Duty. “ It’s amazing to see situations like this still happening today,” she wrote. “We ensure that the right bodies for filing a complaint are in place and that the process is clear, transparent and accessible. The process must be safe and confidential for everyone. Above all, it must lead to concrete changes and appropriate sanctions. »