Death threats to Ottawa councillor motivated by hate for francophones, judge rules

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Plante sent a brief reply the next morning to correct the spelling of her surname, which was intentionally misspelled as “Plant.”

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Lamarche sent a reply about an hour later containing rhetoric that “escalated sharply,” the judge said, in its tone and content.

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Lipson said the two emails were “serious and disturbing” in their content and in the consequences for Plante and her feeling of safety.

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In the second email, Lamarche’s “political criticism gave way to overt threats,” Lipson said.

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“They were explicit and conveyed threats of lethal violence intended to instill fear,” the judge ruled.

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The second email referred to a “death sentence” and Lamarche boasted that he would send a “private militia” after Plante. It contained phrases like “wanted dead or alive” and “shoot to kill.”

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The emails were also sent to Lamarche’s numerous political and media contacts, which only “amplified” the threats and became an aggravating factor in the judge’s decision.

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“A private threat became a public act of intimidation,” the judge ruled.

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Plante, in her victim-impact statement, pointed out the irony of Lamarche having a French surname — he was born and raised in Ottawa to an anglophone mother and francophone father.

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He moved to Vancouver in his 20s and remained there for 20 years, where he worked in banking and once ran for mayor of that city. He moved back to Ottawa in 2018 and has been living at the Ottawa Mission for more than two years.

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In a statement to the court on Monday, Lamarche railed against the fact that most job requirements in the capital region required proficiency in French.

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He blamed his inability to speak French for not being able to find “meaningful employment, apart from working part-time at a grocery store.”

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He denied, however, that he harboured any hatred for French-speakers and said his father and half his family were francophones from Quebec.

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“I would never do anything to attack or harm the French community,” he told the judge. “I have francophone blood.”

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Lipson also pointed out the irony of Lamarche’s background in politics, including that he studied political science, participated in campaigns and ran for office himself.

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The judge said the fact the threats were directed to a sitting politician was also an aggravating factor in his decision and said threats to politicians were indicative of a “broader societal harm” that may discourage people from running for public office.

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“Mr. Lamarche himself is very familiar with democratic institutions,” Lipson said. “Of all people, Mr. Lamarche should appreciate how precious and fragile our democratic institutions are.”

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The judge also ordered Lamarche not to communicate in any way with Plante and to stay 250 metres away from where she lived, worked, or any place where her role as councillor may take her. He must submit a DNA sample to a national databank and was banned from possessing weapons for 10 years. He was also ordered to participate in any assessment or counselling, including anger management and psychiatric consultation that is required in his rehabilitation.

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