In October 2021, LAKAY published, with the support of the Profiling Observatory (ODP), a report entitled «"Municipal inaction in the face of racial profiling in Repentigny from 2017 to 2021"». This document compiles and contextualizes a series of racial profiling incidents that occurred in Repentigny, as well as the actions taken by Black communities to denounce them. This article presents the report, its objective, its findings, and how to access it. (For the complete reference sheet, see our page Report: Municipal inaction in the face of racial profiling in Repentigny (2017-2021).)

Why this report?

Racial profiling is not a collection of isolated "misunderstandings." It is a pattern. The LAKAY report stemmed from a simple observation: in Repentigny, testimonies from Black people who were stopped, searched, or suspected without valid reason had been multiplying for years, several even being recognized by the courts—while the City and its police service were slow to acknowledge the problem and take action. The report gives this pattern a documented form, a chronology, and a collective memory.

Published in the context of a municipal election, the document also sought to draw the attention of authorities and the public to an issue that directly affects the quality of life and safety of citizens from diverse backgrounds. Its title summarizes its central thesis: the problem was not only the existence of profiling, but inertia municipal and police authorities are facing overwhelming evidence.

What the report documents

Using a historical framework covering the years 2017 to 2021, the report retraces high-profile cases of racial profiling and the subsequent actions—complaints, court decisions, and citizen mobilizations. Among the cases that marked this period in Repentigny are:

  • François Ducas, A black teacher was stopped while driving his car; the Human Rights Tribunal subsequently recognized that he had been the victim of racial profiling by the police service and ordered the City and female police officers to pay him compensation.
  • Leslie Blot, arrested in front of his home while inflating inflatable games for children during a family gathering; his case was part of several favorable decisions obtained before the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ).
  • Hèzu Kponwbié, stopped in a park, accused then acquitted, after picking up an object that had fallen on the ground.
  • Older cases remain in the community's memory, such as that of two black children handcuffed and searched while playing in a park.

The report also recalls a striking fact: a 2021 study revealed that Black people had approximately three times more likely to be arrested by the Repentigny police than other citizens. As LAKAY points out, these publicized testimonies represent only the tip of the iceberg: research shows how hesitant people who are victims of profiling are to talk about it and denounce what they are experiencing.

The core issue: inertia

Beyond individual cases, the report documents the response—or lack thereof—of the authorities. It recalls, for example, that in 2018, while the media were reporting numerous accounts of profiling, the City and its police department held a press conference on cultural integration without directly addressing the issue of racial profiling, and announced a reconciliation plan whose real scope LAKAY questioned. The report also highlights the City's recurring difficulty in acknowledging decisions rendered in favor of citizens who were victims of profiling. It is this gap between established facts and concrete action that the word "inertia" seeks to describe.

An approach grounded in facts

The report's strength lies in its methodology: rather than relying on impressions, it compiles publicly available cases, often already covered by the media or the courts, and presents them sequentially. This historical approach reveals what an isolated incident never shows: the repetition, the consistency of the profiles targeted, and the slowness of institutional responses. The report also acknowledges its own limitations—many victims never file a complaint, out of fear, weariness, or distrust of the system. The documented cases, therefore, represent only a fraction of the reality.

The document also fits into a broader context. As early as 2011, the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission) published a major report on racial profiling and systemic discrimination against racialized youth, particularly in schools and police settings. The LAKAY report applies this perspective to the scale of a single city, Repentigny, and to a specific time period, to make the phenomenon tangible and local. It is this proximity—the names, places, and dates that residents recognize—that makes it an effective tool for mobilization.

Chronological landmarks

To place the report in its historical context, here are some key milestones from the period it covers and its continuation:

  • 2017 : several arrests which will be the subject of complaints and decisions, including those of François Ducas and Leslie Blot.
  • 2018 : media coverage of the cases is causing a stir in Repentigny; the authorities are communicating about cultural integration without directly addressing profiling.
  • 2021 (June) : a study reveals that black people are about three times more likely to be stopped by local police.
  • 2021 (October) : publication of the LAKAY report, in the middle of the municipal election period.
  • From LAKAY's demands continue, including the demand for a second independent study to measure the real changes.

What is the purpose of this report today?

The document remains a reference tool for several uses:

  • for citizens, it shows that they are not alone and that their experiences are part of a recognized phenomenon;
  • for journalists, researchers and students, it offers a documented chronology and a starting point for further exploration;
  • for decision-makers, It serves as a reminder of commitments made and expectations not met;
  • for community mobilization, It serves as a collective memory and support for demands, including the holding of a new independent study on racial profiling in Repentigny.

Access the report

The full report is available free of charge on the LAKAY website, on page Report: Municipal inaction in the face of racial profiling in Repentigny (2017-2021).

The report was produced by Lakay Media with the support of the Profiling Observatory (ODP). For a detailed presentation by its author, you can also consult the podcast episode dedicated to the report on the Profiling Observatory website, where LAKAY's president, Pierre Richard Thomas, explains the approach.

To quote the report

Lakay Media (2021). Municipal inaction in the face of racial profiling in Repentigny from 2017 to 2021, with the support of the Profiling Observatory.

LAKAY continues the work

This report is not the end of the story; it is part of ongoing work to support victims of racial profiling and to advocate for concrete change. If you have experienced racial profiling, or if you would like to use the report in a civic, educational, or media context, please contact us.

LAKAY
818 Notre-Dame Street, Suite 202, Repentigny, Quebec
Telephone: 514 532-0484
Website: lakaymedia.org
Facebook: facebook.com/lakayrepentigny

This article presents a summary of the report for reference purposes. For all the facts, sources, and nuances, please consult the full report.