Montreal council to debate bylaw on insults toward city workers

Montreal city council is scheduled to discuss a proposed bylaw this week that would prohibit insulting municipal employees, including police officers. Under the draft rules, people could face fines of $300 to $1,000 for a first offence, with repeat violations carrying penalties of up to $2,000. The proposal also covers harassment, threats, abuse, intimidation, and other aggressive or offensive conduct. The bylaw would also allow city staff to deny services to people who behave inappropriately. Similar measures already exist in other Quebec cities, including Quebec City, Laval, Longueuil, and Sherbrooke, where thousands of fines have reportedly been issued over the past six years.