Montreal Police Chief Yvan Delorme rejected B’nai Brith Canada’s plea for a hate crimes unit in the police force, saying it is not needed. Delorme was responding last Thursday evening to Allan Adel, chairman of B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights. Both were at Montreal city hall for hearings on proposals to merge police stations on the island and a new approach to policing in general.

Adel, who is also on the Montreal Jewish Community Security Committee, pointed out that B’nai Brith Canada has been asking for a hate crimes unit for several years, especially in light of anti-Semitic attacks in recent years — most notably the firebombing of the United Talmud Torah library in 2004, and similar attacks on an Outremont Jewish boys’ school in 2006 and the Snowdon Y this year.

“It’s important that this is established,” Adel said.

(The Suburban)