Quebec homeless curfew
News

Montreal lawyers are fighting to exempt homeless from Quebec curfew

by Lorraine Carpenter

If an emergency injunction is granted, the constitutionality of imposing a curfew on the homeless will be debated in court.

Lawyers from the Montreal Mobile Legal Clinic are attempting to exempt the homeless from the ongoing province-wide curfew in Quebec Superior Court this afternoon. According to a CTV report, lawyers cited the ticketing and arrest of a 38-year-old homeless man twice last week — the alcoholic and schizophrenic individual is somehow expect to pay two $1,500 fines — as an example of why the situation of the homeless during the curfew is an emergency.

The Mobile Legal Clinic team is seeking an immediate injunction from the judge. If granted, the constitutionality of imposing such a decree on the homeless population will be debated further in court. The decision by Superior Court Justice Chantal Masse is expected over the next few days.

This move comes a week after the death of Montreal homeless man Raphael André, after which Mayor Valérie Plante asked the province for an exemption from the curfew for the homeless. Her request was denied.

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by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.