Denis Lortie
Encyclopedia
Denis Lortie is a former Canadian army corporal. In 1984, he stormed into the National Assembly of Quebec
building and killed three Quebec
government employees.
Cpl Lortie was a Supply Technician in the Canadian Forces
and was disgruntled with a number of policies of the Quebec and federal governments. He planned a killing spree as a means of broadcasting his discontent.
On May 7 of that year, Lortie left the CFS Carp
military base (better known as the Diefenbunker
) pretending that he needed time off to arrange a divorce with his wife. Instead, he rented a car, drove to Quebec City
and took a guided tour of the Quebec Parliament Building. He then rented a room in a motel on Laurier Boulevard for the night.
The next day, at 9:30 a.m., Lortie walked into CJRP
radio station in Quebec City
and dropped off a sealed envelope containing an audiotape for one of the station's hosts, André Arthur
. He instructed the radio staff not to open the envelope until 10:30 a.m. but they opened it anyway, discovering that it was a statement of Lortie's plans, in which he declared that "The government now in power is going to be destroyed." However, by the time radio staff contacted police, Lortie's plan had already been put into action.
At 9:45 a.m., Lortie entered the Quebec
Parliament Building through a side door located on Grande-Allée. He was dressed in combat fatigues and armed with two submachine gun
s. As he entered the building, he shot at a receptionist, then killed a messenger that he encountered in a corridor. He went into a smoking room and shot at the people there. He then went to the cafeteria, but finally found his way into the Assembly Chamber.
Based on later testimony, it is clear he intended to assassinate Premier René Lévesque
and other members of the governing Parti Québécois
. His plan was to enter the Assembly Chamber during the parliamentary committee starting at 10:00 that morning. However instead of using a watch, Lortie timed his attack by listening to CJRP
and waited for the station's host, André Arthur
, to end his segment. Fortunately that day, André Arthur
ended his broadcast 20 minutes early, leading Lortie to enter the building and make his way to the Assembly Chamber while it was still mostly empty. Nevertheless, Lortie killed three government employees (Georges Boyer, Camille Lepage and Roger Lefrançois) and wounded 13 others. No politicians were killed or wounded.
The National Assembly's Sergeant-at-Arms, René Jalbert
, was told there was a man with a gun in the Assembly Chamber. Upon stepping out the elevator, Lortie fired on him. Seeing that Lortie was in a military uniform, Jalbert told him that he too had been a soldier with the Van Doos (slang for the Royal 22e Régiment
), and that if Lortie allowed he would show him his discharge card. Lortie agreed, after which Jalbert persuaded him to show his own identification.
After this exchange, Jalbert persuaded Lortie to come to his office to discuss the matter, and release the other civilians in the Assembly Chamber. Jalbert talked to Lortie for over four hours, ultimately persuading him to surrender to military police (he was unwilling to surrender to civilian police) at 14:22. For his heroic act which likely prevented further death, the Canadian government several months later awarded Jalbert the Cross of Valour
.
One of the factors contributing to the crime was the easy access that Lortie had to both weapons and ammunition. Unlike other non-combat Canadian Forces Bases, the CFS Carp "Diefenbunker" did not have room for separate weapons and ammunition lockers.
According to psychiatrist Pierre Mailloux
who was assigned to the case, Lortie suffered from paranoid schizophrenia
and had organized his crime during a psychotic episode, believed his was acting on instructions from God. Nevertheless, in 1985, Lortie was convicted of first-degree murder, but a new trial was ordered due to legal errors. Lortie pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree murder in 1987.
Lortie was paroled in December 1995. He now lives in Quebec and works in construction.
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
building and killed three Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
government employees.
Cpl Lortie was a Supply Technician in the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and was disgruntled with a number of policies of the Quebec and federal governments. He planned a killing spree as a means of broadcasting his discontent.
On May 7 of that year, Lortie left the CFS Carp
CFS Carp
Canadian Forces Station Carp is a former Canadian military facility located in the rural farming community of Carp, Ontario, approximately 30 km west of Ottawa....
military base (better known as the Diefenbunker
Diefenbunker
Emergency Government Headquarters are nuclear fallout bunkers built by the Government of Canada at the height of the Cold War during the infancy of the ICBM threat...
) pretending that he needed time off to arrange a divorce with his wife. Instead, he rented a car, drove to Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and took a guided tour of the Quebec Parliament Building. He then rented a room in a motel on Laurier Boulevard for the night.
The next day, at 9:30 a.m., Lortie walked into CJRP
CJRP
For the radio station in Saint John, New Brunswick, see CJRP-FM.CJRP was a French-language Canadian radio station located in Quebec City, Quebec...
radio station in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and dropped off a sealed envelope containing an audiotape for one of the station's hosts, André Arthur
André Arthur
André Arthur is a Canadian radio host and politician. He was the independent Member of Parliament for the riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier from 2006 to 2011...
. He instructed the radio staff not to open the envelope until 10:30 a.m. but they opened it anyway, discovering that it was a statement of Lortie's plans, in which he declared that "The government now in power is going to be destroyed." However, by the time radio staff contacted police, Lortie's plan had already been put into action.
At 9:45 a.m., Lortie entered the Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
Parliament Building through a side door located on Grande-Allée. He was dressed in combat fatigues and armed with two submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s. As he entered the building, he shot at a receptionist, then killed a messenger that he encountered in a corridor. He went into a smoking room and shot at the people there. He then went to the cafeteria, but finally found his way into the Assembly Chamber.
Based on later testimony, it is clear he intended to assassinate Premier René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
and other members of the governing Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
. His plan was to enter the Assembly Chamber during the parliamentary committee starting at 10:00 that morning. However instead of using a watch, Lortie timed his attack by listening to CJRP
CJRP
For the radio station in Saint John, New Brunswick, see CJRP-FM.CJRP was a French-language Canadian radio station located in Quebec City, Quebec...
and waited for the station's host, André Arthur
André Arthur
André Arthur is a Canadian radio host and politician. He was the independent Member of Parliament for the riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier from 2006 to 2011...
, to end his segment. Fortunately that day, André Arthur
André Arthur
André Arthur is a Canadian radio host and politician. He was the independent Member of Parliament for the riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier from 2006 to 2011...
ended his broadcast 20 minutes early, leading Lortie to enter the building and make his way to the Assembly Chamber while it was still mostly empty. Nevertheless, Lortie killed three government employees (Georges Boyer, Camille Lepage and Roger Lefrançois) and wounded 13 others. No politicians were killed or wounded.
The National Assembly's Sergeant-at-Arms, René Jalbert
René Marc Jalbert
René Marc Jalbert, C.V., C.D. was a Canadian soldier and sergeant-at-arms of the National Assembly of Quebec, known for his role in ending Denis Lortie's killing spree in the Parliament Building on May 8, 1984....
, was told there was a man with a gun in the Assembly Chamber. Upon stepping out the elevator, Lortie fired on him. Seeing that Lortie was in a military uniform, Jalbert told him that he too had been a soldier with the Van Doos (slang for the Royal 22e Régiment
Royal 22e Régiment
The Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
), and that if Lortie allowed he would show him his discharge card. Lortie agreed, after which Jalbert persuaded him to show his own identification.
After this exchange, Jalbert persuaded Lortie to come to his office to discuss the matter, and release the other civilians in the Assembly Chamber. Jalbert talked to Lortie for over four hours, ultimately persuading him to surrender to military police (he was unwilling to surrender to civilian police) at 14:22. For his heroic act which likely prevented further death, the Canadian government several months later awarded Jalbert the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour (Canada)
The Cross of Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award , the highest honour available for Canadian civilians, and the highest of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations...
.
One of the factors contributing to the crime was the easy access that Lortie had to both weapons and ammunition. Unlike other non-combat Canadian Forces Bases, the CFS Carp "Diefenbunker" did not have room for separate weapons and ammunition lockers.
According to psychiatrist Pierre Mailloux
Pierre Mailloux
Pierre Mailloux , better known as Doc Mailloux or Docteur Mailloux, is a psychiatrist, who hosted a French-language talk show with Janine Ross on CKAC radio in Montreal from 1995 to 2007.-Background:...
who was assigned to the case, Lortie suffered from paranoid schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
and had organized his crime during a psychotic episode, believed his was acting on instructions from God. Nevertheless, in 1985, Lortie was convicted of first-degree murder, but a new trial was ordered due to legal errors. Lortie pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree murder in 1987.
Lortie was paroled in December 1995. He now lives in Quebec and works in construction.