Quebec minister disappointed after race considered in reduced sentence for Black man

A Quebec minister says he is disappointed a judge gave a Black man a reduced sentence for a drug trafficking crime due to his race.

Christopher Skeete made the comments after the judge in a Longueuil court, on the south shore of Montreal, concluded the man deserved leniency due to systemic racism.

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The judge based her decision on a report submitted by the defence lawyer that noted how the man’s crimes were linked to the racism he had faced in his life.

Judge Magali Lepage wound up giving Frank Paris a two-year sentence for cannabis and hashish-related trafficking charges in the case.

Skeete is Quebec’s minister responsible for the fight against racism.

He told The Canadian Press in an interview the case could set a precedent that creates two classes of citizens.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2025.