Montreal’s public consultations into systemic racism have been delayed, with no timeline yet as to when they’ll begin.

The first phase was supposed to start at the end of 2018.

Balarama Holness, a former CFL player who’s now a community advocate and was a force behind the consultations, still isn’t sure as to the reasons for the delay.

His petition for consultations garnered well over 15,000 signatures. 

“It’s unclear,” he said in an interview with Maya Johnson on Saturday’s 6 p.m. newscast. “The diversity office was supposed to give this document in at the end of 2018. They delayed it to January and then February. Now we’re in March.”

That means that the public consultations won’t actually start until after the summer.

The suggestions derived from those consultations will now come in 2020 at the earliest. 

“These recommendations will serve to frame public policy,” he said. “So that we can have the mayor or the opposition take these recommendations and frame policy so that we can make Montreal more inclusive, which is what we really want.”

 

Jobs, training are important
Holness wants to see more people of colour employed and developed by civic institutions.

“Employment was one of the priorities,” he said. “We want to see more individuals not only hired, but have socioeconomic mobility once they’re in the workforce.”

He also cited a recent story of STM officers using force on a man. 

“We need to ensure there’s proper training and conflict resolution mechanisms,” he said. 

 

Searching for answers
With demand high, Holness wants responses from the city as to the reasons for the delays. 

“There should be more accountability and transparency within the public consultations office and the City of Montreal to take more initiative and make this a priority,” he said. 

He also emphasized the involvement of youth in the fight to have recommendations enacted in public policy that improves the way visible minorities are treated.

Faith in public institutions could be compromised if there are more delays, according to Holness. 

“We need to trust that our democratic institutions are listening to us,” he said. 

“Right now with this delay, we’re putting that into question. ‘Are they actually taking this as a priority and are they listening to these 20,000 people that signed this petition?’”