The city council of Montreal will adopt, this Monday or Tuesday, a declaration to blame the behavior of the mayor of the borough of Anjou, Luis Miranda, towards a 15-year-old teenager and to encourage young people to participate in political life.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
“The City of Montreal denounces the discriminatory remarks made by the mayor of the borough of Anjou during the borough council of October 4, 2022 and demands an apology from him towards the young Hocine Ouendi as well as towards his family”, indicates the statement, of which The Press obtained a copy, which will be proposed by the Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante.
Hocine Ouendi appeared at the Anjou borough council meeting to question the mayor about the closure of the borough’s synthetic soccer fields. The grounds were closed due to acts of vandalism, and the teenager proposed the hiring of guards to avoid this kind of situation.
He had been sharply criticized and interrupted by Mr. Miranda, who admonished him for daring to ask him a question. “At 15, I don’t even have a business talking to him,” said the borough mayor, suggesting that the mother of young Hocine should educate her son better.
“Look at yourself in the mirror,” continued Mr. Miranda, pointing out that such problems only occur on soccer fields and not on the sets of other sports.
Luis Miranda apologized for his remarks last week on television, but he appeared to play down his fault and did not contact Hocine Ouendi or his family to apologize in person.
“Obligation to respond respectfully”
The statement that will be presented to City Council recalls that the Montreal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities condemns all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on age.
It should also be noted that the City has taken several measures to encourage young people to participate in democratic life and to identify their needs, such as the establishment of the Conseil jeunesse de Montréal, the Forum jeunesse de l’Île de Montréal and youth councils of borough.
“The City of Montreal reminds the members of the borough councils and the municipal council of their obligation to respond, with respect and to the best of their knowledge, to the questions submitted to them by the population,” the declaration indicates.