Civil rights organizations in Montreal are intensifying pressure on the city's newly elected mayor to deliver on long-standing commitments to honor prominent Black community leaders whose contributions have shaped the city's history.
Unfulfilled Promises Spark Community Concern
More than a year and a half after Montreal city council unanimously approved a motion to designate a location in honor of Dan Philip, the former president of the Black Coalition of Quebec, community members report complete silence from municipal authorities. The motion was passed in December 2023, just one month after Philip's death, but no concrete actions have followed.
Max Stanley Bazin, current president of the Black Coalition of Quebec, expressed frustration during a recent news conference. "Promises are gathering dust on the shelves while important figures in our history still await the recognition they deserve," Bazin stated, capturing the growing impatience within Montreal's Black community.
Three Pillars of Montreal's Black Community
The coalition of more than a dozen community groups has identified three key figures requiring official recognition. Alongside Dan Philip, who dedicated 40 years to fighting inequality and injustice, advocates are requesting the city name a location after Noel Alexander, the longtime head of the Jamaica Association of Montreal who passed away in 2021.
Alexander was known for his decades of work improving police-community relations in Montreal. The groups are also pushing for a revised approach to honoring Oscar Peterson, the legendary jazz pianist.
Rather than the current plan to create a new green space between Ste-Catherine St. W. and de Maisonneuve Blvd., community organizations propose renaming the entire Place des Festivals after Peterson. "We can see no gesture more appropriate than naming this location that is the heart of the annual jazz festival for the musician whose entire life made jazz and Montreal synonymous," their collective letter states.
New Administration, Renewed Hope
With Soraya Martinez Ferrada now serving as Montreal's mayor, civil rights advocates see an opportunity to reset the city's approach to recognizing Black community contributions. The coalition has formally requested a meeting with the new administration to discuss their proposals.
Former Montreal city councillor Marvin Rotrand, who joined community groups at Monday's news conference, emphasized the psychological impact of delayed recognition. "The Black community just wants to be assured that if someone who has contributed passes away, they will be considered as well," Rotrand explained. "When they see the city passing motions and years go by with nothing happening, they begin to feel it's not genuine."
David Foster, president of the St. Lucia Foundation of Canada, delivered a powerful appeal to Mayor Martinez Ferrada, stressing that honoring these community pillars represents the minimum acceptable gesture from the city. "If we forget these names, we forget much of Montreal's history," Foster warned. "We can't afford to risk that."
The mayor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the community groups' demands, leaving Montreal's Black community awaiting signals about whether the new administration will prioritize these long-delayed recognitions.
