Black Montreal public servants call for concrete action to fight systemic racism

Black public servants working for the city of Montreal are joining a growing chorus calling for major reforms to crack down on systemic racism.

A committee representing the Black employees has released a letter demanding concrete actions to solve the problem.

The renewed calls for change are adding to mounting pressure on government officials after police dismantled a patrol unit in a multicultural neighbourhood of Montreal on June 12 due to serious allegations of racism and misconduct.

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The Canadian Press reported on Thursday that Black employees of the Montreal police department had also sent a letter to a senior police official warning that they feared reprisals for denouncing instances of racism.

The office of Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada’s has confirmed it received both letters.

City employees say in the new letter that they have been trying to denounce racism for years, and want solutions, as opposed to promises to study the issue further.

They say racism is not limited to the city’s police force with blue collar workers having taken several steps to flag their concerns, including meeting with human resources and officials as well as drafting memos and recommendations.