Montreal police came under attack on the first of six days of hearings into racial profiling conducted by the Quebec Human Rights Commission.

The basic premise of the hearings, according to Commissioner Gaetan Cousineau, is that "racial profiling exists in Quebec. We shouldn't deny it, we should know that it exists."

University of Montreal researcher Christopher McCall says that prejudice can be counted.

McCall looked at court and police statistics from 2001.

He found black youths were at least twice at likely to be arrested for minor infractions than white teens committing the exact same crimes.

"There seems to be a tendency to over-observe young blacks by police, by security agents in the public domain," said McCall.

Many teenagers who are members of a visible minority agree, saying they have been stopped and questioned by police for acts as benign as talking on a phone or sitting in a car.

"When you feel you have done everything you can to follow the rules of society and it hasn't gone in your favour, you figure, what's the point?" said Randolph Solomon-McPherson.

The head of the Quebec Human Rights Commission says the province's future peace and prosperity depends on its citizens being treated equally by police, courts, and educators.

"Not acting on it will just create more difficulties in society," said Cousineau.

The Black Coalition of Quebec's Dan Philip has heard it all before.

Philip has also repeatedly appeared before other committees to talk about police and race relations.

"All the reports are kept on the shelves," said Philip. "Nothing is done. It's a shame."

Still he keeps hoping society, and authority figures, will start respecting minorities.

"I haven't lost hope. When you lose hope you are dead," Philip said.

Ryan Sinclair-Steele agrees that many police officers need to change their attitude.

"It's the aggressor that needs to change," said Sinclair-Steele. "If the aggressor is not fully conscious and willing to make the change, no change will be made."

The hearings continue on Thursday May 27, then representatives from Montreal police, the city and the transit board appear before the committee on June 9, 10 & 11.

One day of testimony will be heard on June 2 in Quebec city.