An internal RCMP report warns of an increase in “stalking and harassment” of politicians during this election year, citing anti-Israel street demonstrations as a major concern.
“Flash protests present a significant challenge to law enforcement’s ability to provide sufficient protection for VIPs,” the report stated.
Blacklock's Reporter says it referenced an April 3 incident in Toronto, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted a banquet for the Italian delegation, forcing the abrupt cancellation of an event featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
The 2025 campaign “will yield additional increases in threats,” according to the report, titled Evaluation Of The Implementation Of The Protective Behavioural Analysis Unit.
Special security measures for the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, Supreme Court judges, MPs, and visiting dignitaries cost $26.3 million last year.
“Over the last few years, the number and complexity of threats and violence targeting protected persons in Canada has continually increased,” the report noted, adding that the unit handles 45 to 67 cases per month related to threats against officials.
“The number of taskings has fluctuated in response to major political events such as firearms legislation, international conflicts, and statements made by public figures reported in the media,” the report said, without elaborating on specific incidents.
The report further highlighted that Members of Parliament are increasingly targeted due to their public profiles or political stances.
“Annually, law enforcement officials intercept thousands of individuals who demonstrate inappropriate or unusual interest in public officials or figures. These behaviours evidence the need for systems and services to assess and manage risks associated with these behaviours.”
While the report did not provide historical context, threats against public officials are not new in Canada. Two of the five Fathers of Confederation honored with statues on Parliament Hill, George Brown and D’Arcy McGee, were assassinated.
In 2013, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office released 108 pages of threatening emails and letters.
At the time, Harper acknowledged the severity of security concerns, stating,
“Unfortunately, we live in an era where the Prime Minister of Canada faces strong security threats.” He noted that while threats to high office have always existed, global terrorism and other modern factors have escalated the risks.
