The former pilot sentenced to 16 years in prison for terrorizing civil servants and then sabotaging Hydro-Québec high-voltage lines has been denied permission to go out. Even after years in prison, Normand Dubé remains as intimidating and vengeful as ever.
“Your problematic behavior has continued and your threats and disrespectful and derogatory remarks towards your [intervenant] led to your expulsion from accountability units and you persisted in your disrespectful and arrogant, even intimidating, comments,” wrote the Parole Board of Canada in a decision released Friday.
Normand Dubé is known for his vengeful spirit. In his own words, “revenge is a dish best served cold.” For minor matters, he had his henchmen set fire to the residence of three civil servants about ten years ago. And to get revenge on Hydro-Québec, he came close to causing a national catastrophe by sabotaging high-voltage power lines. This damage of $29 million nearly plunged Quebec into darkness.
The 62-year-old man found himself among the 10 most wanted people in Quebec in 2021 after hiding for weeks in an outfitter to escape justice.
Nicknamed the “pilot to the stars,” Normand Dubé was addressing the Commission for the first time since the beginning of his sentence in order to obtain unescorted leave for family contacts. However, he was denied this privilege due to his inappropriate conduct in detention and his poorly planned release plan.
“A repeat offence on your part will present an unacceptable risk,” the Commission concluded.
For example, the first person who was supposed to greet him outside the prison changed his mind after feeling threatened by Normand Dubé. The offender allegedly told the (unnamed) person that she “ would end up with a lawyer on his back and a criminal record “. A woman nevertheless agreed to take him in.
Behind bars, Normand Dubé is a real troublemaker. He was found guilty of three disciplinary offences for insubordination and disrespectful remarks. His relationships with other inmates are difficult. He claims to have been beaten in prison. A victim of bullying, he even had to be transferred to another establishment, where he continued his “disrespectful and arrogant, even intimidating” behavior with the staff.
Normand Dubé still presents himself as a “victim” of the system. He finds no risk factors. He persists in wanting to break his sentence, even after having exhausted all his appeals. His case management team maintains that his social dangerousness is “high, just like [les risques pour] safety for the public”.