Coderre vows to step up minority hiring for civil service positions in Montreal

While more than a third of Montréal’s residents are from visible and ethnic minorities, only 21% of the city’s 25,000 employees are minorities.

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Mayoral candidate Denis Coderre says he would open up all new civil service jobs to visible and ethnic minorities, including those designated for internal candidates.

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While more than a third of Montreal residents belong to visible ethnic minorities, only 21% of the city’s 25,000 employees come from minorities, the Ensemble Montreal leader noted at a press conference at Leduc Park in Notre. -Dame-de-Grâce. .

Coderre said he would draft a letter of understanding with civil service unions to open internships to members of visible and ethnic minorities, adding that he would “sit down with human resource experts and see how best to make it happen.”

He stated that the city has not hired managers of visible origins or ethnic minorities in the past three years.

Marikym Gaudreault, spokeswoman for incumbent mayor Valérie Plante, pointed to Nadia Bastien, director of the city’s diversity and inclusion department, as an example of minority hiring for management positions. Bastien served on an interim basis from June 2020 to May 2021, when his appointment was made permanent.

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The Ensemble Montréal leader also promised to establish an anonymous helpline to allow whistleblowers to report discrimination without fear of retaliation.

Coderre also promised actions to increase universal accessibility in city services, such as ensuring that snow clearing makes sidewalks accessible to people with disabilities and public transportation.

Lise Poulin, a Lachine city council candidate who uses a wheelchair, said the city appears to be frozen in the past when it comes to accessibility. Coderre is committed to speeding up the elevator installation schedule at metro stations and ensuring that wheelchair ramps on all city buses are working properly.

He also promised to better serve the LGBTQ2 + community by restoring the vitality and cleanliness of the Village and addressing the problems of public safety and cohabitation of different groups, including the homeless population.

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