The City of Montreal has been working for decades to combat racial profiling in the police, but the work is not finished, Valérie Plante acknowledged on Wednesday. “If I had a magic wand to fix this, I would,” she said.
The mayor testifies before the Superior Court in the 170 million class action between the Quebec Black League and the City of Montreal. The mayoress was summoned by the lawyers of the Black League, but did not contest the procedure.
After being sworn in before Judge Dominique Poulin, Ms.me Plante said she had no problem acknowledging the existence of systemic racism and racial profiling within the police.
“The City is a reflection of society. We will tell each other: it is sad to think that even today, there is still racism and discrimination, ”she said in response to questions from lawyer Mike Diomande, who represents the Black League. “We continue to innovate and we continue to research. […] But we have to admit that we must always go further. »
Mme Plante has not yet commented on the class action itself, but stressed that “the people who experience it [le recours collectif], it is terrible and they must seek redress. They must move forward to restore their rights”.
Me Diomande asked several questions about the concrete impact of anti-racist statements and policies on the functioning of the municipal and police apparatus. The mayor declined to answer some of these questions, indicating that her job was to articulate her administration’s vision, not to “operationalize” it.
“I find it important to be here”
Valérie Plante arrived a few minutes before the scheduled time of her testimony at the Montreal courthouse.
“I find it important to be here,” she told reporters. “I’m happy to be here. It’s my first time in court, so I’m a little stressed,” she said as she opened her testimony.
The trial began last week. New police chief Fady Dagher has already testified.
The Black League of Quebec is suing the City of Montreal to obtain compensation for thousands of racialized people arrested “without reason” by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) between 2017 and 2019. The organization is asking for damages of $5,000 for each of these individuals.