Members of Parliament have found themselves facing increasing verbal and physical attacks and threats in public spaces, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other top officials.
Paradis’ unit has been tasked not just with protecting politicians, but also high-profile figures such as Irwin Cotler, who faced an assassination threat last fall believed to be linked to Iran.
In 2019, the House of Commons’ sergeant-at-arms office opened eight files on threats against MPs. That number shot up to 530 last year.
“Whether it’s here in Canada, whether it’s online, whether it’s somebody in their basement in another country, they’re coming in at a rate that we’ve never seen,” Paradis said.
“This is an unprecedented time for us.
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