(Quebec) Two people have reportedly been arrested for death threats against Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois since the last election campaign,
This is what the co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire (QS) revealed Thursday morning in the wake of the controversy between him and columnist Gilles Proulx.
He believes that the statements that the commentator made to Qub radio endanger the safety of his family.
“Comments like that in the public space can have an effect, it can give bad ideas,” he said in a press scrum in parliament.
“I’m convinced that wasn’t Mr. Proulx’s intention, huh? But hateful, violent remarks feed a climate which is already harmful, which is already filled with violence and hatred towards politicians. »
It was then that he illustrated his point by revealing that he had received death threats and that two people had been arrested.
According to details obtained from the office of the parliamentary leader of the second opposition, these are death threats that had been made on social media during the election campaign.
It was the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) who confirmed to QS that two charges against two people had been filed, it was added.
One of the two cases was publicized. This is Benoit Kierans, of Franklin, in Montérégie, who pleaded not guilty to two counts of threatening last fall. But in this case, it would be threats and not death threats, whereas Mr. Nadeau-Dubois mentioned death threats.
The Canadian Press is unable to confirm whether charges were filed against the second person who was allegedly arrested.
The DPCP did not respond to our request for information.
All the threats that QS says he has received have been reported to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), the party said.
“Under false premises”
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois criticizes Gilles Proulx for having incited hatred of QS by saying during a program on Qub radio at the beginning of March: “We will believe that, those bastards. They’re bastards, that’s all they are! Dirty things, a party of liars. »
He also reproaches him for having outbid in another program by affirming: “Beautiful hypocrite that he is, he appears on a television program very listened to on Sunday evening, with in his buttonhole a pin of the flag of Quebec. So, the English are really right to say that we should finish them off once and for all, these thick ones. »
In a column Thursday, Mr. Proulx maintains that he was attacked “under false premises”.
“Everyone understood something or almost the same thing, Mr. Proulx, he maintains that this is not what he meant,” retorted the co-spokesperson for QS.
“Beyond the intention, there are the effects of the words, then, on the other hand, what about the rest of the words? They are no longer acceptable. »
Mr. Nadeau-Dubois assured that he is not at war with the columnist and the media, but he reiterates that he demands an apology.
“We are still waiting for an apology from Mr. Proulx, from Mr. (Richard) Martineau, who let these comments be expressed at his microphone without correcting his columnist, and from Qub radio. »