Quebec man formally charged with threatening Trudeau, Legault

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, and Quebec Premier Francois Legault attend a briefing at a Hydro Quebec operations centre following an ice storm in Montreal, Thursday, April 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

A Quebec man has been formally charged with threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault and several other criminal offences.

The arrest of the accused, Germain Lemay, 30, is the subject of a police watchdog investigation after he was shot by officers in the early morning hours of Sept. 27 at a home in Scotstown, Que., in the Eastern Townships.

Quebec's Crown prosecution office confirmed he is now facing one count of uttering threats against the two elected officials, as well as uttering threats to kill or harm a police officer. The prosecution also alleges the man threatened to blow up an office belonging to the provincial workplace safety board, the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), and threatened to kill or harm a CNESST officer.

Lemay is also facing charges of storing firearms in violation of the firearms act. He was charged last week with possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose.

The Crown intends to object to his release on bail, Noovo Info reported. The accused remains in jail pending his bail hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

According to Quebec's police watchdog, the BEI, Lemay allegedly pointed a firearm at a police officer who came to his home to arrest him on the allegation that he threatened Legault and Trudeau. He was shot and injured during the arrest.

Montreal police are conducting a parallel investigation into the shooting.

With files from Noovo Info