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Heavy-handed police tactics at international trade summit in 2007 violated Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Ottawa (20 Jan. 2011) - A Quebec judge has ruled that an order to stop democratic protests at the 2007 Montebello trade summit contravenes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The ruling was made this week by Judge Real Lapointe in a case filed by Leila Martin after she was arrested at Montebello.
"It is obvious that the officers were following orders, and that these orders violated rights and freedoms," Judge Lapointe ruled in a decision tending to validate much of the criticism that followed heavy-handed actions by police at the summit.
The two-day summit was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President George Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The three leaders talked about the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).
Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), says the ruling is "more proof that police are being used by politicians to carry out orders to stop democratic protests."
Coles made headlines following the summit by unmasking Sûreté du Québec "provocateurs" at the summit. Video he shot of his own personal confrontation with police showed officers, one armed with a rock, wearing black shirts and bandanas.
CEP called at the time for an inquiry to find out who ordered the police to try to turn a peaceful protest into a violent one but was told it had to take the case through the Quebec Ethics Committee. He says it has remained there since then, "mired in red tape."
Now he is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take direct action to uncover what really happened at Montebello.
"No more hiding behind commissions and committees," says Coles. "Prime Minister Harper should do the right thing now and hold an independent judicial inquiry. (This) ruling is one more nail in the coffin of whoever was responsible for this whole cover up."
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