City of Montreal in court trying to overturn landmark police racial profiling ruling
Montreal is appealing a ruling that found its police engaged in systemic racial profiling, arguing compensation eligibility is too complex.Summary
The City of Montreal is challenging a 2024 Superior Court ruling that found its police force systematically racially profiled citizens between 2017 and 2019. The city argues that determining who is eligible for compensation – up to $5,000 per person – is impractical without individual court hearings. City lawyers claim the initial ruling relied on insufficient evidence, primarily the testimony of one plaintiff, Alexandre Lamontagne, a Black man stopped and arrested in 2017, and external reports.
Lawyers for the Black Coalition of Quebec countered that the city already possesses data on stops, arrests, and detentions during the relevant period and can readily identify those racially profiled. They accused the city of rehashing trial arguments and neglecting its long-standing awareness of the issue. The Superior Court judge, Justice Dominique Poulin, had established clear criteria for eligibility, focusing on unjustified stops and recorded personal information.
Justice Christian Immer of the Court of Appeal challenged the city’s arguments, emphasizing the well-established reality of racial discrimination. The Black Coalition seeks to uphold Poulin’s “historic” 100-page judgment and secure compensation for victims of the city’s discriminatory practices, with details on distribution to be determined after the Court of Appeal’s decision.
(Source：BayToday)