A 58-year-old Montreal man, Daniel Seniw, was arrested at his home on Jan. 15, charged with making online threats against members of the National Assembly.
Seniw appeared briefly in court on Jan. 16, the day after he was accused of writing and posting a threatening comment online.
The message that got him into trouble was allegedly posted to the “Quebec Anglophone Community” closed Facebook page, viewable to 877 people.
Seniw’s alleged post read, ““I see an ak-47 walking into the National Assembly again and this issue will be in the passe.”
The “issue” he is presumed to be referencing is Quebec’s controversial Bill 60, or the Parti Quebecois’ proposed charter of secular values -- currently being discussed and debated in a series of public hearings in Quebec City.
Police said the post is a clear reference to the incident that occurred on May 8, 1984, when Denis Lortie stormed into the National Assembly armed, killing three people and injuring 13 others. Rene Levesque, premier at the time, was Lortie's intended target.
Provincial police say making threats like the one allegedly written by Seniw -- even online, or in jest -- is a crime.
Seniw was granted bail of $2,000 and released as long as he agreed to abide by several conditions, including not contacting any members of the National Assembly and staying at least 250 m from the building in Quebec City.
He is also not allowed to have any computer or internet access, and had to present the court with proof he had cancelled his internet subscription.
Seniw is also not allowed to possess any weapons.
"He did not have any firearms when the policeman made the search and investgiatiors seized two computers," said provincial police officer, Claude Denis.
Seniw's wife, Janet, is adamant that her husband is not a violent man.
"Dan is a very charitable and giving guy, he volunteers in hospitals, he was just making a statement on the Internet," she said.
"He's a churchgoer, he volunteers at palliative care at St. Mary's Hospital (in Montreal), he volunteers at the mental health ward and this was just one little glitch that he did."
Janet warned the public to not make the same mistakes her husband did.
“Be careful, people, of what you write on the internet,” she said. “You could end up in the same position.”
The provincial police echoed this word of caution.
“Doesn't matter what the intention is,” said Denis. “If anybody uses the web or a social network to utter threats to anyone, this person will be traced by our investigator,” he said.
Seniw’s next court date is Feb. 18 in Quebec City.
-- with files from the Canadian Press
