Allegations of racism within Montreal’s city workforce have opposition politicians up in arms.
A series of reports in Le Devoir newspaper allege that Black and other racialized employees are the repeated targets of racist taunts and actions.
“It is unacceptable that in today’s day and age we continue to hear of the sufferings that these employees live on a daily basis,” said Stephanie Valenzuela, city councillor for the Darlington district in Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.
They say the city’s appointment of a commissioner to fight racism and systemic discrimination has so far not led to any meaningful improvements.
“You can put whatever processes you want in place, you can create whatever offices you want in place, but if you don’t have results we’re failing our employees,” argued Alan DeSousa, opposition city councillor and borough mayor for Saint-Laurent.
The opposition wants an independent investigation.
Mayor Valérie Plante said during a press conference to address the issue that she knows there are problems, but said it takes time for change to happen.
“It is very important to understand or at least to realize the complexity of those issues,” she explained.
She hasn’t ruled out an independent investigation but said the city is continuing to put measures in place to continue to force change.
Anti-discrimination groups, though, say they’re surprised by the opposition’s outrage now.
“Honestly it’s too little, too late,” stated Alain Babineau, coordinator on issues of racial profiling and public safety for Red Coalition.
He pointed out that the continuing alleged acts of discrimination among city employees are nothing new.
Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, agrees, saying he’s been helping some of the employees for years.
“Whether it be racial harassment, complaints not being dealt with, being bypassed for promotions, being suspended or being sanctioned very abusively.”
He also believes the anti-racism commissioner needs more resources, something the city’s general manager Serge Lamontagne didn’t rule out when he spoke to reporters at Plante’s press conference.
Babineau, who resigned from the city’s anti-racism commissioner’s office because he said he didn’t feel supported by the city, believes one way to solve the problem is to set up an independent review body.
“It would have some powers to investigate and would not need to report to the mayor or director general, but would have the power to go directly to the Human Rights Commission,” he pointed out.
Plante said the city will give a progress report of its racism fight at the end of March.