A Quebec mayor opens up about the ‘shocking’ threats politicians are facing

Quebec’s plan to curb the often toxic climate that drives out local politicians is being welcomed by Montreal-area mayors who have long called for change.

Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier was placed under intermittent police protection last year and has received death threats over a years-long, controversial plan to cull local deer. Her predecessor was also the target of threats in 2020.

Bill 57, which was tabled at the provincial legislature in April, proposes stiff punitive measures for people who harass elected officials in Quebec. It comes as hundreds have left municipal jobs since the 2021 election.

If the proposed legislation becomes law, people who harass or threaten politicians could face a court injunction or a fine up to $1,500. It would also give police the power to impose a fine ranging from $50 to $500 on any person who disrupts a city council meeting with disorderly conduct.

“It’s a measure that is important, that has been anticipated,” Fournier said of Bill 57 during legislative hearings Thursday. “That reassures lots of municipal officials.”

Fournier not only gave recommendations about the proposed law but also spoke of her own experiences — including a recent incident that unfolded publicly.

In March, Longueuil police arrested a woman who was later charged with having criminally harassed the mayor during a city council meeting that turned heated. The woman is not a resident of Longueuil.

“It’s shocking. It was the first time I received a threat in person,” Fournier said Thursday.

The woman in question was released with conditions and her case is now with the province’s Crown prosecutors. Police said at the time it was the fourth investigation they had opened involving the mayor.

Fournier previously sat as a