A dozen commitments to fight against racism unveiled by the City of Montreal were met with some skepticism on Tuesday.
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“You can’t be against virtue, but the actions are not concrete. These are not actions that will make a change in relation to the result, “said Abdelhaq Sari, spokesperson for the Official Opposition in matters of public security and the fight against racism and systemic discrimination.
The latter was reacting to the unveiling of commitments, classified into five parts, to counter racism and discrimination within the municipal administration and the Montreal police, in the wake of recommendations issued following a consultation of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) in June 2020.
“These are priority actions that will make it possible to accelerate the organizational transformation of the City of Montreal starting this year, in order to build this city in which everyone is equal, can fulfill themselves and live with dignity,” said declared the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante.
Through its commitments, the City intends to set an example by supporting all its departments and boroughs in their workforce diversification objectives. It also wishes to facilitate the processing of complaints from its employees.
“On the words, we all agree, but on the actions, either they are absent, or they are simply terrible”, however criticized Abdelhaq Sari.
According to him, the City is content to set up committees and make appointments, without however making any changes in the regulations or sanctions.
“When you put a person who is an expert in diversity and inclusion, that’s not what will guarantee that we will no longer have a situation of systemic racism or discrimination,” he illustrated.
The elected official, who is also vice-president of the Public Security Commission (CSP), is also sorry that several recommendations of the OCPM, voted in 2020, have not been implemented. He gives as an example in this regard number 19, which provides for the addition of two members of civil society to the CSP, the implementation of which is long overdue.
Racial profiling
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) is also targeted, the City having the desire to put an end to racial profiling.
In this sense, the City will strengthen the training of its police officers and consolidate its work on the policy on police stops.
Relations with First Nations are also a concern. The SPVM should hire an advisor in “community development and liaison with Aboriginal peoples”. The Montreal Fire Department will deploy a “cultural security” project in this direction at its fire station 5, downtown.
At the League of Rights and Freedoms, it is estimated that the City is slow to implement recommendations deemed important in the fight against racial profiling.
The organization asks in this regard that number 19, concerning the CSP, be part of the priorities, which would not currently be the case.
“This fight must go hand in hand with a civil surveillance power of the SPVM. The CSP has the mandate to play this role, but in the absence of a representative of civil society, it is considered that it does not fulfill it fully”, explained Lynda Khelil, responsible for mobilization for the League.
She also wants a review of municipal regulations that could lead to profiling, another recommendation made in the past.
“We reiterate that it is a priority. The objective is to remove tools from the police, who are used to do systemic racial profiling, summarized Mr.me Khelil. We don’t understand why it’s taking so long.”
The five aspects on which the City wants to act:
- An administration free from systemic racism and discrimination
- Public security free from profiling
- cultural equity
- Economic and territorial equity
- Inclusive citizen participation