Joel DeBellefeuille

Red Coalition files human rights complaints against Quebec on Bill 96

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The Red Coalition, an advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of all individuals in Quebec and Canada, headed by Joel DeBellefeuille, has officially filed a complaint with the Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission (CDPDJ) against the Quebec government. The complaint addresses the widespread discriminatory impact of Bill 96, which according to its description is “An Act Respecting French, the Official and Common Language of Québec”.

In speaking with The Suburban, DeBellefeuille stated that Bill 96 is a catalyst for discrimination. “I don’t think they saw this coming. They thought the notwithstanding clause protected them but human rights is a whole other angle. Ultimately what the Red Coalition wants to see is the end result that organizations and other constitutional lawyers want to see struck down or modified to not impede on our human rights,” he said.

The Red Coalition highlighted seven violations of the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms in its motion including: Section 10 — the right to full and equal recognition and exercise of human rights without discrimination based on language, race, ethnic or national origin, and other protected grounds, Section 10.1 — the right to live free from linguistic discrimination or racial harassment, Section 11 — the prohibition against distributing or publishing discriminatory notices, symbols or signs, Section 12 -the right to access goods and services ordinarily offered to the public without discrimination, Section 13 — the prohibition against stipulating discriminatory clauses in juridical acts, Section 25 — the right to be treated with humanity and the respect due to every person, Section 49 — the right to obtain cessation of unlawful interference with any recognized right or freedom and compensation for moral or material prejudice.

According to the legal action filed with the CDPD, Quebec has 30 days to respond. The Coalition’s motion states: “Since its enactment on June 1st, 2022, Bill 96 has sparked numerous conflicts within Quebec society, exacerbating tensions between the Francophone community, English-speaking residents, and those whose first language is neither French nor English. The law has led to an environment where discrimination is not only tolerated but effectively sanctioned, causing significant harm to individuals and communities across the province.” DeBellefeuille told The Suburban that the CAQ “deliberately and preemptively used the notwithstanding clause to pass this law. They decided to invoke the right to use that clause to put this forth. Uncontested for five years, they feel they are ‘untouchable’ but what they did not predict is someone like me and the RC coming at them via the human rights tribunal.”

DeBellefeuille says this is not a French, Anglo, non-Anglo or non-French issue. He is adamant that the discriminatory aspect affects people on all sides of this law that causes a division opening up persons from each language group to discrimination based on the division caused. “My fight is not one-sided to appease the Anglo community because the French community are also being lumped into the ‘names’ and subsequently being discriminated against as a result of this law. The CAQ government, through creation of this law, created an environment of hate and animosity, online, in schools and in the general public. It amplified the level of hate related to language laws.”

When asked what his concerns were in taking on this file, placing himself in the centre of an amplified longstanding battle, DeBellefeuille responded that “Rome was not built in a day and I have extreme patience when it comes to fighting the good fight.” n

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“Beyond the shadows” tackles Quebec racism

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Call it a tutorial, rallying cry, guidebook or roadmap, but it’s certainly an eye-opener. It’s also necessary, says Joel DeBellefeuille, executive director of the Red Coalition anti-racism lobby group, and one of Quebec’s leading voices in the fight against racial discrimination.

Beyond the Shadows: Confronting systemic racism in Quebec, is a 55-page e-book (available on Amazon) penned by DeBellefeuille to highlight what has long been in the shadows: the causes, impacts, enablers, and obstacles to the eradication of systemic racism.

DeBellefeuille takes pains to highlight important factors, such as the provincial government’s denial of the very existence of systemic racism in Quebec; blocking permanent residents from becoming police officers; lack of specificity in public union collective agreements when dealing with racial discrimination complaints; and finally, the inability of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) to hear complaints from unionized employees.

These all contribute to a climate where change is sclerotic at best, he told The Suburban. “Descriptive actions for collective agreements and the CDPDJ accepting unionized complaints; these two things alone will change the face of racism and discrimination in the province.”

He says the timing is important for disseminating this information, to give people a broader understanding of these issues “that many people inside Quebec and most outside Quebec are not aware of. We need to bring this to the attention of everybody and highlight these issues.”

Quebec has a particular challenge since the government’s position “creates a domino effect on everything going on in the province and lets it persist,” he says, adding that’s exacerbated by language issues and laws like Bill 96 which contribute to the general problem. “The Premier, and the current party don’t have anti-racism legislation in place to address these issues” he says, rather they simply rely on ad hoc policy announcements.

The book includes sections on what other jurisdictions are doing; the role of the CDPDJ, the groundbreaking Yergeau — Luamba decision, recommendations for reform, Quebec hot zones, police accountability and DeBellefeuille’s own historic cases.

Beyond the Shadows is an easy read, and a $7 investment in civic awareness, a useful tool as multiple jurisdictions move closer towards elections and people seek information on these important issues. n

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Artgate lawsuit climbs to $2.4 million

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The lawsuit launched by parents against the Lester B. Pearson school board (LBPSB), known internationally as Artgate, has reached $2.34 million with 13 parents joined in the legal action.

After nearly two months Martin B. DeBellefeuille, the lawyer representing all of the parents in the lawsuit, was electronically notified that the law firm Morency Avocats was appointed to the file, representing both the Lester B. Pearson School Board and the teacher Mario Perron.

“Two months is an excessive amount of time, when you think about it; to source out, then finally secure legal representation in a case that has drawn worldwide media attention, is really long in my opinion,” Joel DeBellefeuille, one of the parents filing the lawsuit said. “It leaves room for some serious speculation. You have a school board deeply entrenched in an historical, never before seen copyright infringement case in Quebec, let alone in the history of all Commonwealth countries and it took them two months to find a lawyer?”

On February 8, second-year high school students from Westwood Junior High School discovered the sale of their artwork assigned to them as a school project by their teacher Mario Perron. Students were previously advised by their teacher that the project entitled “creepy portraits” was a mandatory assignment. In total, the works of 96 students was discovered online for sale, allegedly listed by Perron with print on demand options such as wall art prints, face masks, men and woman’s apparel, mugs, greeting cards and stationary.

Parents who reached out to the school’s principal and the school board were met with a non-apologetic silence and the teacher continued to contact students by e-mail assigning art projects. While refusing to have a discussion with parents, the school’s principal also called down students related to the issue to her office to question them, without informing parents.

The parents suing for copyright infringements and moral damages demanded that the artwork listed without their permission or the knowledge of its creators until it was discovered be removed immediately and demanded an apology.

“So far, no apology,” DeBellefeuille told The Suburban. n

Artgate lawsuit climbs to $2.4 million Read More »

Artgate parents launch lawsuit; LBPSB silent

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The families of some Westwood junior high school students launched a lawsuit against art teacher Mario Perron and the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) as it continues to remain silent and fails to respond to the demand letter sent on behalf of eight parents on Feb. 13.

According to the demand letter, the families requested an apology and the removal of all artwork online as well as statutory damages in the amount of $1.4 million claimed against the art teacher Mario Perron and the school board. Both parties failed to address the contents of the demand letter.

“One would seem to think that the school board is condoning the actions of Mario Perron as they are choosing to continue to remain defiant and silent on this egregious abuse and historical copyright infringement by the art teacher, that made headlines around the world,” Joel DeBellefeuille, the parent who launched the initial lawsuit, told The Suburban.

There are now 9 families attached to the lawsuit, bringing the total demand of damages to just over $1.5 million. n

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WI Art teacher and LBPSB sued for $1.4 million

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre

The art teacher from Westwood Junior High who placed his students’ artwork online for sale along with the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) are being sued by parents for $1.4 million and the number keeps going up as more families continue to join the lawsuit. The LBPSB, the school’s administration and the art teacher, Mario Perron have all remained silent and unapologetic in the face of the accusations despite the incident having made international headlines.

Joel DeBellefeuille, the parent who originally launched the lawsuit, told The Suburban after the demand letter was sent, that his son along with other students were called down to the principal’s office to be questioned during school hours, while the administration continues to ignore parents’ demands for answers. “The school should not be questioning these kids without a parent present while on the doorstep of a lawsuit. They say that they can’t comment to parents but are systematically calling down students. They are scrambling trying to figure out what to do, but doing all the wrong things. They are completely shutting parents out, yet have the nerve to interrogate the children without a parent or guardian present. It’s insane.”

The artwork produced in Perron’s classroom was part of an assignment that he asked students to complete. The online sale of the items was discovered by students last week and reported to parents. DeBellefeuille immediately reached out to the school’s principal who refused to give him any information as to its intentions on how to remediate the situation. The school board also refused to respond. Upon receiving the demand letter, LBPSB’s legal advisor contacted DeBellefeuille to tell him that the file has been sent to their insurance company. “It’s so blatantly obvious what this guy did, and an apology would go a long way. No steps have been taken to appease parents,” he told The Suburban.

An online search conducted by The Suburban as well as by the parents’ legal counsel revealed that the artwork of 96 students was uploaded for sale with print-on-demand options for 31 different products, such as cups and t-shirts.

“The volume of items sold through this scheme is immense, totalling 2,976 items, constituting 2,976 distinct violations of intellectual property laws,” the demand letter sent by the students’ families’ lawyer reads.

Parents are also concerned about the confidentiality and safety of their students as the artwork produced was a style of portraits of themselves or their peers entitled “creepy portraits” and the names of the artists were placed online with their respective creations.

The school principal, Anna Haller, however, only mentioned her concern for the privacy of school staff in response to an e-mail sent by DeBellefeuille requesting her help with the matter prior to his decision to sue. “Thank you for your email. The matter is currently under investigation. All matters pertaining to LBPSB employees remain confidential” was the total extent of her e-mail to him. n

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Saying NO to Blackface

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Joel Ceausu

The Red Coalition anti-racism lobby groups is asking all Quebecers to just say NO to blackface.

With the onset of Black History Month, the coalition announced its campaign to end the practice, recalling that last year a controversy unfolded in the West Island of Montreal surrounding a puppet created by Quebec artist Franck Sylvestre.

With exaggerated features reminiscent of the blackface caricatures donned by white performers in the past, and widely recognized as an offensive stereotype, the Coalition said it has no place with children.

“While Mr. Sylvestre maintained that his puppet was a personal representation and an expression of artistic freedom, it sparked concerns among parents who found its portrayal offensive to the Black community,” according to a Coalition statement. “Consequently, this led to widespread criticism within the Black community and among educators.” At least one municipal performance of his show L’incroyable secret de barbe noire was cancelled as a result of the furor, and in another city the play went on but was removed from the Black History Month activity schedule.

“The Red Coalition supports the objections of the community and denouncing the puppet as a form of ‘Blackface’ emphasizing that it should not be shown to young children,” said RC founder Joel DeBellefeuille. The debate highlights the need to balance freedom of expression, age-appropriate content, and the well-being of young Black students, he says, and the situation calls for a re-evaluation of such props and puppets “to ensure it does not perpetuate offensive stereotypes and harm the affected community.”

Quebec Board of Black Educators president Alix Adrien agreed, stating “We and concerned parents and educators argue that certain expressions may not be suitable for young students, and that there is a societal responsibility to protect them from potentially offensive content.”

The blackface issue has arisen frequently in recent years, as local Quebec theatrical and year-end celebratory broadcasts occasionally feature white actors in blackface, as well as revelations of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s admitted, repeated penchant for donning black and brown face in his youth.

The Red Coalition is inviting everyone to join them in celebrating Black History Month 2024 “by championing inclusivity, equality, and racial justice” and is launching a petition against the practice of Blackface. The Canada-wide petition will be launched on https://redcoalition.ca/ n

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