The Regina Police Service has provided more details on a bomb threat letter against Unifor that was sent to Regina Mayor Michael Fougere and the provincial government back in February.
The letter, which demanded an end to the blockades at the Co-op refinery in Regina, referenced that if police didn’t do anything, farmers would “take matters into their own hands.” However RPS suggested the threat was not credible following their investigation.
During a teleconference on Tuesday afternoon, Regina Chief of Police Evan Bray said they took the threat seriously during their investigation, which included the use of their Forensic Identification Team and help from Canada Post.
“It was received by both city hall and the minister of justice on [February] 18th, and they were contacting us on the 19th with regards to the letter,” stated Bray. “The investigation happened immediately.”
He referenced a section in the letter where it states the blockades would be blown up the same way a farmer would blow up a beaver dam on their property.
“It is time for action by the Regina Police Service now. If they cannot take down the illegal blockades, pallets, gates, etc. We can and will do it for them,” reads the letter, which was shared to Unifor 594’s website.
The letter goes on to say the group created “special mixes” and left them at gates where blockades were set up, saying “gates may start flying.”
A Freedom of Information request by Unifor 594 from the Regina Police Service uncovered the letter among a stack of 900 documents. While Bray doesn’t know when the letter was written, he said the blockades were taken down at the time the letter was received.
“Both the investigation into the anonymous letter, along with a month of constant on-scene involvement at the upgrader, allowed the Regina Police Service to confidently assess there was no credible threat to anyone at the refinery site.”
Bray said they are at a position where they have no information that has led to an arrest since they haven’t confirmed the identity of the individual or group who sent the letter.
He added they have been in communication with the RCMP and that the investigation is ongoing.
