MONTREAL, Aug. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advocacy group, the Red Coalition is swift to condemn the killing of Jean-René “Junior” Olivier a black resident of Repentigny, Quebec on Sunday, August 1st, 2021, in front of his family home after suffering what appeared to be an episode of psychosis. Mr. Olivier told his mother that he was “seeing people” around him, while subsequently holding a kitchen knife. The mother fearing for her son’s safety and the well-being of those around him, felt compelled to call the Repentigny police for assistance so that they could take him to the hospital for immediate medical attention. Instead, the police arrived and asked for the mother to return inside and lock the doors.
What happened next will forever change the lives of those that knew Jean-René “Junior” Olivier. He was shot three times in the stomach and killed.
RACIAL PROFILING RAMPANT IN REPENTIGNY; SHOWS QUEBEC HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION RULINGS ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS
It is the 4th, time this year that the Quebec Human Rights Commission has ruled against the City of Repentigny and some of its officers, in 4 separate rulings that they engaged in the act of racial profiling of black residents. In 2019, Mayor Chantal Deschamps mandated the Chief of Police to look at recent arrests in-order to detect if blacks and visible minorities were targeted disproportionately more than whites. Since there has been numerous complaints and now the death of a black man in one year at the hands of Repentigny police, it appears that the “mandate” fell short, and on deaf ears.
The Repentigny Police force have been in the news facing multiple accusations of racial profiling in recent months; so much, that the residents fear for their lives, whether they are driving or walking in the streets of their community. Black residents and visible minorities make up just 7% of the 116,000 residents of the community.
“There is no room for racial discrimination, in all its forms,” said Deschamps, with her later saying to the Chief of Police, Helen Dion, “I asked her to analyze, and to conduct a verification of the racist arrests that are made on the territory of Repentigny. The mandate has been given.”
The Red Coalition
The Red Coalition is a group of like-minded people from all walks of life, shapes, colors, and sizes; fighting for one common goal, which is to eliminate the practice of racial profiling and systemic racism within Canada, while raising clarity and awareness to the mental health issues and public health problems it is causing amongst its citizens.
Join the cause here: https://redcoalition.ca/jointhecause
What are we doing to create change?
We are asking the Minister of Public Safety Canada, to enact a legislation to prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement. Further to a declared prohibition, the proposed legislation would require a law enforcement agency to confirm that it has established and maintained adequate policies and procedures designed to eliminate racial profiling, in-order-to qualify for funding under any transfer payment program held by the Minister of Public Safety. The e-petition is endorsed by two Members of Parliament, Matthew Green, NDP and Greg Fergus, Liberal.
The Challenge
We the movement, the Founder, and the Chairman of the Board, challenge Mayor Chantal Deschamps and the police chief Helen Dion to continue the path of righteousness she so speaks of, that was mandated in 2019 “to analyze, and to conduct a verification of the racist arrests that are made on the territory of Repentigny” which will set out to demonstrate her true commitment to create real change, by continuing the mandate, with the police chief weeding out the “bad apples” and instilling strict training, policies and procedures, suspensions and dismissals if need be, whilst demonstrating a clear action-plan to combat racial profiling in the city. Including, both Mayor Deschamps and Chief of Police Helen Dion, signing the e-petition and mandating their officers to do the same. A copy of the report and data should be made public upon completion. “If the Mayor and Police Chief feel that there may be racial profiling and discrimination amongst some of the city’s police officers; they should have zero problem with signing the e-petition.” This is no longer a situation of “crying wolf,” black residents of Repentigny are fearing for their lives and are trying to flee the city to save themselves” so they don’t get shot by police because of their black skin,” said Joel DeBellefeuille, Founder, Chairman & CEO of the Red Coalition.
Sign the Petition: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-3349
What is racial profiling and how can it affect you?
"Any action taken by one or more people in authority with respect to a person or group of persons, for reasons of safety, security or public order, that is based on actual or presumed membership in a group defined by race, color, ethnic or national origin or religion. Taken without factual grounds or reasonable suspicion, these actions can result in the person or group being exposed to differential treatment." https://www.cdpdj.qc.ca/en/lexicon#racial-profiling
Racial profiling as defined by the SPVM:
"Racial profiling refers to any actions taken by a person or persons in authority with regard-to a person or group of people, for security or public protection reasons, based on factors such as race, colour, ethnic or national origin or religion, without a real motive or reasonable grounds for suspicion, resulting in differential examination or treatment. Racial profiling also includes any action by people in a position of authority who apply a measure disproportionately to segments of the population, in particular, because of their racial, ethnic or national origin or religious affiliation, real or presumed."
https://spvm.qc.ca/en/Fiches/Details/Profiling
About the Red Coalition
The Red Coalition is a group of like-minded people from all walks of life, shapes, colors, and sizes; fighting for one common goal, which is to eliminate the practice of racial profiling and systemic racism within Canada, while raising clarity and awareness to the mental health issues and public health problems it is causing amongst its citizens.
What is the Red Coalition doing to create change?
We are asking the Minister of Public Safety Canada, to enact a legislation to prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement. Further to a declared prohibition, the proposed legislation would require a law enforcement agency to confirm that it has established and maintained adequate policies and procedures designed to eliminate racial profiling, in-order-to qualify for funding under any transfer payment program held by the Minister of Public Safety.
For more information visit: www.redcoalition.ca
Contacts:
For media inquiries: info@redcoalition.ca
Join the Cause: https://redcoalition.ca/jointhecause
Sign the e-petition: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-3349
Rubin Coward, Advocate
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubin-coward-cd-84a07926/?originalSubdomain=ca
United Black Caucus PAC
J.R.D Kwilu
E. ubcpac.can@gmail.com Tel. 204.930.8595
W. https://pacubc.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/ubcpac
Joel DeBellefeuille, Founder, Chairman, CEO, Red Coalition
E. joel@redcoalition.ca Tel. 514-434-2640
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeldebellefeuille/?originalSubdomain=ca
Instagram: https://instagram.com/dealmaker001
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DealmakerJoel
To learn more about our founder visit: https://joeldebellefeuille.com