PQ leader confirms he received death threats; suspect arrested

Parti Quebecois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon confirmed on March 15, 2024 that he received death threats, and that a suspect has been arrested by Quebec provincial police. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon confirmed on Friday he has recieved death threats.

The PQ leader confirmed the information, first reported in the Journal de Montréal, at a news conference in Montreal.

Visibly upset, since the threats were addressed to him and his family, St-Pierre Plamondon had to interrupt the impromptu briefing.

"It's my private life, but everything that is (already) public, I can confirm," he said.

He specified that it took four days between receiving the death threats and the suspect's arrest.

He congratulated the Sûreté du Québec for its "excellent work."

"As of today, the investigation is still ongoing," he added.

For its part, the Sûreté du Québec simply confirmed that a complaint had been received on March 4 and that investigators had arrested a man from the greater Montreal area on March 8, in relation to threats made against a member of the national assembly.

The SQ specified that the suspect was released with a promise to appear in court.

The police added that a search was carried out at the individual's home, which led to the seizure of computer equipment. The threatening message was sent by email.

Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy, who herself had suffered threats in 2022, wanted to show her support for the PQ leader, his wife and their three children.

"It's a pretty troubling time for them. No elected official should go through this type of moment," she said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first reported in French on March 15, 2024.