RCMP has ‘strong tools’ to address threats against politicians: minister

Canada's justice minister said he's not keen to endorse the RCMP boss's suggestion that Ottawa make it easier to pursue charges against people who threaten elected officials. 

Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani says he isn’t going anywhere without a mobile duress alarm in his pocket.

He doesn’t move around without first informing someone, including when he attends public events.

And he doesn’t just work with a security team at the Department of Justice, but a separate one in the House of Commons, too.

“That’s just unfortunately where we’re at in Canadian society right now,” Virani said in an interview Wednesday, as members of Parliament got ready for a summer break.

“What’s even more shocking is that it’s not just cabinet ministers that have to do that. I’ve got a lot of female colleagues that have been doing that for well over a year.”

While Virani said he wishes things were different, he’s not keen to endorse the RCMP boss’s recent suggestion that Ottawa make it easier for police to pursue charges against people who threaten elected officials.

“I believe that there are strong tools that are in place, for example, in the Criminal Code,” Virani said, adding the federal government provides police with resources to do their jobs.

“I think a combination of those two are … enough to address what’s going on.”