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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brant Houston, 573-882-2042

Oct. 30, 2000

Response from Montreal Police

Mr. Neff:

We would first like to thank you for your interest and sympathy in this troublesome event as well as your interest in regards to the judicial questions that have been raised following Mr. Michel Auger's attempted murder.

Please understand that the investigation is ongoing and therefore we cannot comment at this stage. However, we can assure you that a team of investigators is working on a daily basis to gather all the necessary information that could lead to the arrest(s) of a possible suspect(s).

In addition, our police service cannot, in an event such as this one, voice its opinion publicly while looking to find the responsible parties. The debate is now a political one in order to obtain a law that would provide police forces with the essential means to fight criminal organizations.

It is also quite noble and surely justified to bring up the liberty of the press topic following events such as Mr. Don Bolle's death and Mr. Michel Auger's attempted murder and should you and the IRE want to make contact with some journalistic organizations in Canada, here are some names that might be of good reference and who might lead you to some solutions for your concerns: Canadian Association of Journalists; Canadian Newspaper Association and la Federation Professionnelle des Journalistes du Quebec (see annexe for coordinates).

In closing, be assured that the Montreal Urban Community Police Service is very concerned with issues of this nature and will provide all the necessary efforts and resources to support the victims and to bring those responsible before the courts.

Sincerely,


Michel Sarrazin
Chief of Police

Attachment

Canadian Association of Journalists
316B St. Patrick's Building - Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa (Ontario) K1S 5B6
tel: (613)526-8061 fax: (613)521-3904

Canadian Newspaper Association
200 - 890 Yonge Street
Toronto (Ontario) M4W 3p4
tel: (416)923-3567 fax: (416)923-7206

Federation Professionnelle des Journalistes du Quebec
1012, ave. Mont-Royal Est, bur. 105
Montreal (Quebec) H2J 1X6
tel: (514)522-6142 fax: (514)522-6071