New Longueuil mayor sent 'serious threat' over deer cull; police investigating
It would be déjà-vu, except for the new face at the centre of it. After the City of Longueuil announced it would cull deer in a park, the city's mayor -- 29-year-old Catherine Fournier -- has been sent a threat serious enough to involve police.
The last time this happened, it was former Longueuil mayor Sylvie Parent who was the subject of the threats. At least three threats were made against Parent last fall, with police even saying protection would be provided to her if necessary.
Other threats, to disrupt the cull operation itself, ultimately forced Longueuil to call it off.
Almost exactly a year later, the city announced Tuesday that it's launching a new plan to cull deer in Michel-Chartrand Park.
Within 12 hours, police were looking into a threat against Fournier.
"It was a serious threat received on social media," Fournier's spokesperson, Camille Desrosiers-Laferrière, told CTV.
Despite the high-profile and often heated issue, the rest of the comments were "all cordial," she added.
The mayor's office is in contact with Longueuil Police, she said.
François Boucher of Longueuil Police said that the force has been informed of "a situation" and that it's under investigation, and that he couldn't provide more details.
Last year, three people were arrested over threats made to Parent, the former mayor. The outcome of those cases is unclear. At least one of those threats was described at the time as a death threat.
All of those arrested were in their 20s and 30s and didn't live in Longueuil, police said at the time.
Last year, the culling plan would have involved about 15 deer. This year, the city says there are 70 deer it must deal with after the population exploded over the last year.
It has maintained that the natural environment of the park is becoming degraded, that the deer can carry Lyme disease and are a traffic hazard, and that the deer themselves are malnourished, with the park not big enough to feed the size of the deer population.
While many have suggested relocating the deer to nature parks, wildlife experts said that doing so would not be kind to the deer and that the process of relocation could kill them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.