It’s not every day that a Minister of Public Safety and a Canadian right winger make similar comments, but such is life in 2024.
Forty-eight hours after Patrik Laine’s injury, calls for calm were launched so that the wave of hateful comments against Cédric Paré, the Toronto Maple Leafs player who tripped Laine and who in turn so that the start of the season for the Canadian striker is compromised.
Read the article “Slippage on social networks”
These calls came from the Canadiens players themselves, starting with Cole Caufield.
“The fans are very passionate here, but threats are not necessary,” insisted the small right winger on Monday after the Canadian’s training. “No one should have to go through this. This is an unfortunate incident, and these people should keep these thoughts to themselves. No one is trying to hurt anyone. »
Quebec players also lined up behind their compatriot, even those who do not know Paré personally, like Joshua Roy. “Hockey moves fast. I don’t think Ced had bad intentions. It wasn’t the cleanest shot, but these things happen,” Roy explained.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Joshua Roy
The Beauceron did not stop there. “The fans are intense, but that’s no reason to personally attack anyone. Hockey moves quickly and bad luck happens. I don’t think her intention was to hurt him. »
Alex Barré-Boulet comes from the Quebec region. He and Paré played their AAA midget hockey with the Lévis Commandeurs, but they missed each other by a year. Like David Savard, he sometimes trains with Paré in the summer.
“I haven’t spoken to him, but I saw what happened on social media and I didn’t want to get involved. We have passionate fans, but we have to leave that on ice. I don’t think he did it on purpose, I think it’s an accident,” agreed Barré-Boulet.
The escalation of virtual violence was such that it also sparked a reaction from the Ministry of Public Security. Minister François Bonnardel, in a statement sent by email, described the treatment reserved for Paré on social networks in recent days as “deplorable”.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
François Bonnardel, Minister of Public Security
“This kind of online hatred has no place in Quebec. Our government has already taken a step to better protect our elected officials from this scourge, but there is still a long way to go, he continues. At the start of the mandate, I committed to fighting cyberbullying. This is a complex issue, but we are not giving up and we will propose measures to better protect Quebecers against cowards who hide behind their screens to intimidate their victims. »
In Toronto, Maple Leafs management is well aware of the situation, but colleagues on site tell us that the matter did not make much noise at Monday’s training.