OTTAWA — Twenty-five years ago, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was famously hit in the face with a pie during a public event. At that time, the incident was seen as a harmless prank. However, the political climate in Canada has shifted dramatically since then, with threats of violence against politicians becoming increasingly common.

Catherine McKenna, a former federal minister, highlighted the seriousness of the situation. "There is this view that you’re a politician, it’s all fair game," she said. "We need people to go into politics and not feel threatened. It’s literally about the health of our democracy because if you want people to go into politics, you can’t expect that they’re going to put up with this and their families are going to put up with it."

Recent documents from the Privy Council Office reveal a significant rise in threats against the prime minister and cabinet ministers. In 2021, there were 40 recorded threats. This number increased to 91 in 2022, 236 in 2023, and 311 in 2024. Specifically, threats against then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rose from 11 in 2021 to 25 in 2022, and surged to 212 in 2024. The documents indicate that between 2021 and 2024, Trudeau faced 90 death threats.

McKenna noted that many threats against her were made online, but she also experienced public harassment during her time in office. "It’s just happening all the time and at all levels," she said. "I can’t talk to a politician without them giving me a story about what has happened, and often women, especially racialized, Indigenous members of the LGBTQ2+ community."

The pie incident involving Chrétien occurred on August 16, 2000, at an agricultural exhibition in Charlottetown. As he greeted attendees, a man pushed a cream pie into his face. The man was quickly apprehended by police. This was not the first security breach during Chrétien's tenure; in 1996, he was involved in a physical altercation with a protester, and a year earlier, an intruder armed with a knife entered his official residence.

Michele Paradis, the RCMP assistant commissioner responsible for protective policing, emphasized the challenge of balancing security with public accessibility. "If MPs, ministers of the Crown are not going out to meet with their constituents, that has an impact on our very democracy," she said. Paradis noted that the threat landscape has somewhat stabilized since the recent change in government.

The RCMP has implemented measures to assess threats, including visiting individuals who make online threats to evaluate their intentions. Paradis stated, "I think we’ve got a better sense of the picture of what’s going on."

In response to the rising threats, there have been calls for enhanced security measures. In 2024, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme proposed a new law to facilitate charging individuals who threaten elected officials. Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino suggested creating "protective zones" around constituency offices to safeguard parliamentarians and their staff.

McKenna advocated for an independent protective service for federal officials and urged the government to enact online harms legislation to hold social media companies accountable for threats. She also criticized politicians for engaging in personal attacks that can dehumanize their opponents. "The problem is when they get personal, then it’s easy for people to basically dehumanize people," she said.

Experts have noted that the threat of violence against politicians remains a constant concern. Rob Huebert, a political science professor, pointed to the near-assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump as evidence that determined individuals can still pose a risk. "The threat is always there," he said.

Chris Mathers, a retired RCMP officer, remarked on the changing nature of public interactions with politicians. He noted that Chrétien often strayed from his security perimeter, while Trudeau tends to remain within it. "If you stay in the box, there’s a lot less chance that you’re going to be confronted by somebody with a pie or a knife or a gun or a bomb," Mathers said.

As the political environment evolves, the need for effective security measures for public figures has become increasingly critical.