Reacting to an act of vandalism committed on the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec building, Public Security Minister François Bonnardel denounced the City of Montreal’s inaction on Wednesday in the face of the proliferation of encampments on its territory. “We are beginning to see the consequences of this passive approach,” he said.
The Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry supported his exit. “The wait-and-see attitude of [la Ville de Montréal] “This has gone on long enough, the camps must be dismantled,” she added on social media.
A few hours earlier, the offices of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec had been sprayed with red paint. An investigation was opened by the Montreal Police Department, which at this stage does not know who is responsible.
Minister François Bonnardel, however, made the connection with the pro-Palestinian camp located nearby. At the end of June, pro-Palestinian protesters pitched their tents in Victoria Square, demanding that the institution withdraw its investments in companies “complicit in the Israeli occupation.”
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel
“We expect all political leaders to denounce the excesses and the actions of occupation of public territory,” continued François Bonnardel.
At the same time, a new encampment appeared in Parc-des-Faubourgs, in the Centre-Sud district of Montreal, this time to oppose the dismantling of homeless camps.
The City of Montreal had a scathing response to Minister Bonnardel’s criticism. “If we want to talk about passivity, let’s talk about your actions regarding the opioid crisis, the housing crisis, the vulnerability crisis and the public transit funding crisis,” retorted the head of homelessness on the executive committee, Robert Beaudry, visibly stung, on the X network.
Honestly! The City of Montreal deals with social crises every day. Fewer tweets and more support would be appreciated. The SPVM is doing a colossal job of maintaining Montreal’s security in a difficult international context.
Robert Beaudry, municipal councilor, on X
The organizers of the pro-Palestinian encampment held a press conference Wednesday morning. On the twelfth day of their occupation, they requested a meeting with its president and CEO of the CDPQ, Charles Émond.
So far, the institution has had no “serious reaction” to the protesters’ demands, deplored a spokesperson, Safa Chebbi.