Winnipeg Man Arrested After Online Death Threats Against Carney

A Winnipeg man is facing charges after multiple death threats were posted on social media targeting Prime Minister Mark Carney, police say.

The RCMP launched a national security investigation on Jan. 16 into X posts that investigators say also incited hatred toward the Jewish and Muslim communities, the federal policing agency said in a March 2 press release.

Winnipeg resident Jason Paul Rindall, 55, was arrested on Feb. 13. He has been charged with three counts of uttering threats to cause death in connection with the investigation, police said.

Rindall remains in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Winnipeg Provincial Court on March 13 to answer to the charges. The allegations have not been tested in court.

A spokesperson for the prime minister’s office referred questions back to the RCMP.

The RCMP said it would not provide any comments on the case apart from the press release, citing the ongoing investigation and imminent court proceedings.

The policing agency said part of its mandate is investigating incidents involving the security of internationally protected persons such as heads of state, heads of government, foreign ministers, and their accompanying family members.

“The security environment in which public figures operate continues to evolve both within Canada and abroad, and we recognize this is a time for increased vigilance,” the RCMP said in its press release.

Hate-motivated crimes have been on the rise in Canada for several years, most often targeting people from faith groups.

Public Safety Canada said the number of police-reported hate crimes has more than doubled since 2018 but Anti-Semitic hate, threats, and violent incidents against the Jewish community have reached new heights since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

A 2026 post from Public Safety Canada said the majority of hate crimes targeting religion between April and June 2025 were directed at the Jewish community at 69 percent, followed by the Muslim community at 16 percent.

Jewish communities represent just 1 percent of Canada’s population while Muslims make up 5 percent.

The number of hate crimes targeting the Jewish community increased 6 percent during this time period, while those targeting the Muslim community decreased by 2 percent compared to the same time period in 2024.

“These crimes are driven by a complex interplay of factors, including global and domestic events, social polarization, online disinformation, economic inequality, and feelings of exclusion,” Public Safety Canada said, noting that anti-Semitic behaviour “continues to persist in Canada.”

It most often manifests through vandalism and graffiti and intolerant and racist language online, but has also resulted in direct violence toward individuals and communities, including intimidation of Jewish university students, empty schools being shot at, bomb threats to Jewish schools and community centres, and circulation of hate propaganda.