Montreal closer to naming permanent police chief
The City of Montreal moved one step closer to finding a new police chief on Tuesday when the results of the public consultation were released.
The city, however, is still months away from hiring someone and the opposition says there is no time to waste at a time of rising concerns about violence in the city and no permanent police chief in Montreal.
"One of the top priorities is basically armed violence," said Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR) director Fo Niemi. "We've seen it practically every week. Everyone is concerned about that."
This weekend, a body was found in a recycling bin which was deemed a homicide and a person was stabbed and killed in one of two stabbings within six hours, for example.
The public wants the next chief to come up with a concrete plan.
After three months of public consultations, the city released its findings on what Montrealers want from the person leading the force.
"I'm really excited, today is a big step in getting our new chief, Montrealers have spoken," said Montreal executive committee member Alain Vaillancourt.
More than 700 people and community groups were surveyed and they said they want the next chief to crack down on gun violence, combat racial profiling, and attract more diverse officers.
They also want better communication, transparency and accountability.
"It was important for us to reach out to all communities, regardless of language or race, and we did so," said Vaillancourt. "For the anglophone community, we did it twice because the first time wasn't representative enough."
At the beginning of the consultation process, the committee faced criticism for not having enough English-speaking community groups.
"We spoke up, and we had to push from the inside and the outside so that it could be more inclusive, not only linguistically but also culturally and socially," said Niemi.
Some want the process of choosing a new police chief to move more quickly.
Former police chief Sylvain Caron retired six months ago and Sophie Roy was appointed interim chief.
The city expects to hire someone at the beginning of next year, but the opposition says that's not fast enough.
"We don't have this luxury to wait and to take time, we are waiting for what exactly," said Ensemble Mtl interim leader councillor Abdelhaq Sari. "We know we're living through a crisis right now."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.