New data reveals a disturbing trend: threats of political violence against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet ministers surged dramatically between 2019 and mid-2024. This information, recently made public by the Privy Council Office (PCO), paints a stark picture of the escalating dangers faced by Canadian political leaders.
The PCO, which supports the Prime Minister’s Office, began meticulously tracking these threats in 2018 through its Crisis Management Cell (CMC). While 2019 saw only a handful of incidents, the numbers steadily climbed, reaching a staggering 269 in 2023. The first half of 2024 alone witnessed 337 threats directed at Trudeau and his ministers.
“That was when it really became problematic, where people thought it was OK to harass me, harass me when I was out with my kids,” recalls Catherine McKenna, former environment minister, recounting her own experiences with escalating threats.
Perhaps most alarmingly, the CMC also tracked death threats as a subset of overall threats. These rose from zero in 2019 to a peak of 56 in 2022 , a year marked by the “Freedom Convoy” occupation of Parliament Hill. While these numbers dipped slightly in the following years, the first half of 2024 still saw 26 death threats aimed at Trudeau and his cabinet.
The Emerging Trend of Rising Political Violence:
- Significant increase in threats against Canadian political figures.
- Death threats a concerning subset, peaking in 2022.
- Broad range of ministers targeted, not just the Prime Minister.
Approximately two-thirds of these death threats targeted Trudeau directly, but nearly 30 other ministers were also targets between 2019 and 2024. McKenna, Chrystia Freeland, and other prominent figures, like Carolyn Bennett and Steven Guilbeault, were among those receiving multiple death threats. “At one point I ended up having RCMP not just at particular events, but around the clock,” McKenna said.
It’s important to note that the PCO data only covers threats to cabinet ministers. Instances of threats against other political figures, such as former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who received round-the-clock RCMP protection, or Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, are not included in this dataset.
Driving Factors Behind the Increase:
A 2023 threat assessment prepared by the PCO shed light on the motivations behind these threats. It identified conspiracy theories and grievances related to the pandemic, immigration, gun control, and LGBTQ2 issues as key driving factors. The increasing polarization of political discourse, often amplified by social media, has also undoubtedly contributed to this dangerous trend. Social media posts are often at the root of these threats. One user on X.com wrote: “They are all traitors and deserve what’s coming to them.” Another Facebook comment read: “Lock them all up!”
An independent candidate in the Battle River-Crowfoot byelection, Sarah Spanier, recently suspended her door-knocking campaign due to death threats, as was reported by the Canadian Press. “There was a force behind it all,” she stated in a brief interview after withdrawing from the campaign, not elaborating for safety reasons.
Potential Future Impact:
The rise in political violence threatens the very fabric of Canadian democracy. It discourages individuals from entering politics, silences dissenting voices, and creates a climate of fear. Current and former parliamentarians are now calling for the creation of a dedicated protective services agency, similar to the U.S. Secret Service, to safeguard federal politicians facing threats. McKenna stated, “It’s something that is really becoming a huge phenomena that we need to take seriously.”
The RCMP acknowledged the growing need for protection, with a February 2024 briefing note revealing a requirement for an additional 235 officers to serve as “close protection officers” for VIPs like the Prime Minister. Failure to address this issue will likely have **severe consequences** for the future of Canadian politics.
The numbers don’t lie. This is a serious situaiton that requires urgent attention.