New Montreal party proposes rapid-response, AI monitoring to fight hate crimes

Joel DeBellefeuille, co-founder of new Montreal party Futur Montréal, promises a rapid-response, AI-assisted plan to tackle hate crimes if elected.

A new Montreal municipal party is proposing a plan to combat hate crimes and incidents in the city.

Futur Montréal, co-founded by Joel DeBellefeuille and Matthew Kerr, obtained official party status in July and promises to do politics “differently.”

The party said the action plan, called Project Sentinel, would combine Montreal police (SPVM) definitions of hate crimes and hate incidents with a rapid-response team and AI-powered threat detection.

“It’s bold, practical and ready for immediate implementation,” said DeBellefeuille in a press release. “It offers real-time detection, instant action and court-admissible evidence to tackle hate head-on.”

As part of the plan, Futur Montréal said rapid-response officers would arrive within minutes of an incident and use secure city-issued smartphones to quickly capture photos, videos and audio recordings.

The evidence would be uploaded instantly to a secure cloud system so it can be safely stored and used in court.

The party said it would also pass a zero-tolerance municipal by-law against hate, banning the public display of hate symbols and graffiti, as well as public intimidation targeting protected groups, with immediate fines supported by photos and witness statements.

The plan also includes AI surveillance to monitor public online content for threats in Montreal, using location and local references, with all alerts reviewed by human analysts before any action is taken.

“If elected, Futur Montréal will launch Project Sentinel within our first 90 days in the boroughs most affected by hate,” added DeBellefeuille.

“This is not a study or a promise for several years down the road. It is a detailed plan ready for action to ensure that hate has no safe space in our city.”

According to the party, the plan would roll out in phases, starting with a targeted pilot project and expanding citywide once its effectiveness is proven.