Premier Legault saddened by fatal stabbings in Montreal

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QUEBEC – Prime Minister François Legault says he, like everyone else, is horrified by two recent daytime stabbing deaths in Montreal.

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“I think it’s terrible, especially what happened to this woman on the street,” Legault told reporters at a press conference explaining the new legislation on daycare. “I can’t believe this happened here in Quebec.

“We already announced a lot of additional money, especially for women suffering at home. They can move to new places, but of course it’s not easy to make sure that doesn’t happen. “

He said that the Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, has been working on the issue. In April, Guilbault announced a $ 223 million investment over five years to combat domestic violence following a surge in femicides.

More than $ 90 million of the total went to women’s shelters.

Guilbault also recently announced that Quebec will spend $ 90 million to end gun violence.

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“We will continue to invest but, of course, as the prime minister of Quebec I don’t like to see this,” Legault said.

On Wednesday, a 24-year-old woman was fatally stabbed on the sidewalk near McGill University. Romane Bonnier, 24, died in hospital after sustaining multiple stab wounds in the attack, which took place on Aylmer St., south of Milton Ave., around 4:30 p.m.

On Monday, 16-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey died after being fatally stabbed in an altercation with other teens outside her school, Program Mile End High School, on Van Horne Ave.

In the National Assembly, politicians expressed shock and dismay.

“It is difficult for me to express all the sadness, anger and indignation at such violence,” said Quebecois solidarity MNA Manon Massé offering her condolences to the Bonnier family.

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“Once again, in broad daylight on a Montreal street, a woman was murdered. It’s too much. And at this rate we will reach 20 before the end of the year and this is terrible ”.

Parti Québécois MNA Méganne Perry Mélançon also expressed his condolences to the family and called on the government to quickly draw up a clear plan to combat such violence.

Isabelle Charest, minister responsible for the status of women, also expressed her shock, saying that while Quebec has made some progress in combating the problem, “there is still work to be done.”

“It is absolutely tragic,” Charest told reporters. “Every time something like this happens, it is tragic. Yesterday was beyond words in terms of violence. Of course we will be working on that. “

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