Social media can be a great tool to communicate with others, but when you make death threats against people — such as the prime minister — you will end up in court.
Resident Dale Dutchak, 61, appeared in Moose Jaw provincial court on Oct. 7, where he was accused of uttering threats to seven people or groups of people using Twitter. Specifically, on Sept. 14, Oct. 3 and Oct. 6, he was accused of uttering threats to cause the death of the CEO of Extendicare in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Justice Minister Don Morgan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, RCMP officers, the Moose Jaw Police Service, Sask. Party election candidates, and Sask. Party members.
The Crown agreed to his release but under several conditions. Those conditions include keeping the peace and being of good behaviour, reporting to a bail supervisor, living at an approved residence, having no contact with or be within 50 metres of Morgan, Trudeau or anyone from Extendicare, not possess weapons, and not possess a computer or other wireless device that has access to the internet or social media.
Judge Daryl Rayner had a difficult time reading the release conditions to Dutchak since he kept interrupting.
Dutchak explained that he wrote his tweets because he was concerned about Extendicare possibly contracting the coronavirus and of the organization’s unwillingness to allow a doctor inside to see his relative. He pointed out that Extendicare care homes in Ontario faced major issues with the pandemic and he didn’t want to see the same thing happen in Moose Jaw.
He was also concerned about not having access to Moose Jaw Extendicare since he has power of attorney for his relative there.
Rayner eventually managed to calm down Dutchak and read out the release conditions by which the man must abide. The judge then adjourned the man’s charges to Nov. 3.
