Anti-feminist blogger who worshipped Polytechnique shooter sentenced to one year
Anti-feminist blogger Jean-Claude Rochefort, 74, has been sentenced to a year in prison for wilfully promoting hatred towards women.
Rochefort openly glorified the Polytechnique shooter, who claimed the lives of 14 women in 1989 as part of an anti-feminist attack.
He repeatedly referred to the killer on his blog, which had a following of thousands of men associated with the "incel" movement, a contraction of the words "involuntary celibates."
Judge Pierre Labrie rejected the nine-month house arrest sentence sought by the defence. The offence carries a maximum of two years.
Rochefort will also be on probation for three years following his release.
During this period, he will be prohibited from possessing weapons and writing anything on the internet connected to the content for which he was convicted. In addition, he will be banned from going near the Université de Montréal or the Université de Québec in Montreal.
Jean-Claude Rochefort (2010 file photo)
Crown prosecutor Jérôme Laflamme said the conviction demonstrates a growing trend of punishing crimes against women more severely.
"This is an offence that is insidious. [It's] another example of violence against women that was taken seriously by the judge and the court," he said.
Speaking to reporters before his sentencing, Jean-Claude Rochefort expressed little remorse for his actions.
He described himself as a "victim," "prophet," "martyr" and a "great persecutor" of the Quebec state. He stressed he was only expressing his "philosophical opinions" and that he had no responsibility for the Polytechnique massacre because he "did not kill anyone."
Rochefort has long been known for publishing hateful comments online.
In 2009, he was arrested and charged with public incitement to hatred a few days before the mass femicide's 20th anniversary commemoration.
But he got away with it on a technicality: the notion of "identifiable group" linked to the offence, as outlined in the Criminal Code at the time, only applied to distinctions based on "colour, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation" -- not on sex.
The court therefore concluded in 2010 that women were not a group explicitly protected by the section of the law in question, and the charges were dismissed.
However, the law has since evolved -- in part because of Rochefort -- and the concept of an identifiable group has expanded considerably to include national origin, age, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, and sex."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 27, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.