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On Nov. 22, the Montreal Gazette published an article based on a report titled “Évaluation du plan stratégique en matière de profilage racial et social (2012-2014),” which was produced by me and my team.

It is important to note that while racial profiling is definitely real, it is not specific to the Montreal police (SPVM). Indeed, it is to be found in all of our institutions, usually in regulations and policies that manifest themselves as systemic discrimination and racism.

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Unfortunately, it is also seen in day to day interactions between citizens and in the commentaries to be found on social media platforms, most of them in plain sight hiding under the rubric of anonymity. This type of citizen exchange was rudely brought home to me when I read the comments related to the above-mentioned article. While most comments rightly focused on the contents of the report and community-police relations, a few, some without benefit of anonymity, chose to engage in vitriol and abject racism, with a special emphasis on Haitians and other blacks. Furthermore, no amount of clarification could deter those who hold these harmful and bigoted opinions from their positions. This only serves to help raise the sense of racial battle fatigue experienced by ethnic and visible minorities who must constantly fight, in their own community and country, to enjoy a sense of acceptance.