The mayor of Anjou is the subject of a complaint to the Human Rights Commission

A complaint was filed today with the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec (CDPDJ), against the mayor of the borough of Anjou, Luis Miranda. She denounces the discriminatory behavior of Mayor Miranda during the meeting of the borough council of Anjou on October 4th.

On October 4, 15-year-old Hocine Ouendi, accompanied by his mother, was subjected to denigrating treatment by the mayor when he appeared at the public question period, at the borough council, to ask a question about the accessibility of synthetic soccer fields. Using an aggressive tone and remarks, the mayor would then have referred to the “incivility” committed by “gangs” as if he associated it with this problem. The mayor also reportedly blamed the youngster for “confronting” him with his question.

It was Hocine Ouendi’s father who filed this complaint today with the CDPDJ. The Commission also deplored the mayor’s remarks in a letter it made public last month, also invoking the racial profiling practiced by the mayor against the young Ouendi. In the letter, we also denounce the fact that at the meeting of October 4, the mayor trivialized the petition asking for the reopening of the sports grounds presented by Mr. Smail Ouendi, father of Hocine and one of the signatories. The majority of signatories are of Arab origin.

Remember that on October 24, the Montreal City Council adopted a Declaration presented by Mayor Valérie Plante to denounce the discriminatory treatment and remarks of Mayor Miranda. The latter had openly associated acts of “incivility” and security problems with the Muslim community.

Finally, the complaint also targets the City of Montreal for the decision of the borough of Anjou to close the synthetic soccer fields and the failure to deal fairly with the grievances of the young people and parents concerned. Note that the borough mayor has already been the subject of a complaint by the young man’s mother to the Commission municipale du Québec.