Pierre Poilievre's complaint didn't influence 'Diagolon' leader's arrest: RCMP

Jeremy MacKenzie is seen in this photo from his Facebook page. (Jeremy MacKenzie/Facebook)

OTTAWA — The RCMP says Jeremy MacKenzie's arrest was not influenced by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's request to have the Mounties look into comments about his wife.

The founder of the online group "Diagolon" was arrested on Wednesday in Cole Harbour, N.S., on a Canada-wide warrant related to charges laid by the Mounties in Saskatchewan in July.

MacKenzie was charged with assault, pointing a firearm, mischief and using a restricted weapon in a careless manner after police received a report about an alleged assault near Viscount, Sask., in November 2021.

Poilievre said Monday he asked the RCMP to look into "disgusting" comments MacKenzie made during a weekend livestream about sexually assaulting his wife, Anaida Poilievre.

In a statement, the RCMP says a Saskatchewan-wide warrant for MacKenzie's arrest was changed to a Canada-wide warrant on Sept. 21, five days before Poilievre's request.

The RCMP says the process of extending that warrant took nearly two weeks because Crown prosecutors needed to collect documents from police in Quebec and Nova Scotia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2022.