Official sorry union not told of threat

Unifor president Dias calls for Regina chief of police to ‘resign immediately’

Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said the bomb threat made against Unifor pickets in February was not credible, but concedes that he should have notified the union and the refinery.

Meanwhile, Unifor’s national president Jerry Dias is calling on Regina’s chief of police to resign for failing to notify his union and the city about a bomb threat.

“Can you imagine, someone issuing a bomb threat at a refinery and not telling it to the public? Evan Bray should resign immediately,” Dias said Tuesday.

Police were made aware of the letter on Feb. 19, a day after it was delivered to the City of Regina and the provincial government.

During the Regina Police Service (RPS) investigation, Canada Post and the police forensic unit were not able to produce any information as to who sent the letter.

“In hindsight, if we could do it again I think we would have some communication just to let them know,” Bray said during a media conference Tuesday afternoon.

Dias said Bray had “a lot of nerve,” not telling him that Unifor’s members and executive had been threatened in the letter.

“I don’t have the right to know? He made the unilateral decision on my behalf. What happens if I would have got killed?” said Dias.

RPS officers had been at the site of the pickets for a full month leading up to the letter being sent. Their presence and observations at the barricades led them to believe that no such charges or bombs had been planted.

“We did not feel there was any credibility to the threat or danger to the safety of individuals at the site, which included our police officers,” said Bray.

The threat came to light after a freedom of information (FOI) request made by Local 594.

In the 900 pages received in the FOI, the threat details how a group of farmers — angered by the prospect of fuel shortages and perceived lack of police action — had allegedly set up “special mixes” of explosives at the barricades around the refinery.

Dias said that the police finding the threat not credible did little to comfort him, given that the investigation failed to turn up who sent the letter.

“The dispute is still going on. I’m sure the person who wrote the letter is feeling very comfortable,” said Dias.

The letter added that they were only “a cellphone call away from Ignition Time.”

Dias accused Bray of “burying” the letter and the story on behalf of the CRC.

Throughout the dispute Dias — who, along with other members of the Unifor executive has been arrested by the RPS — has accused Bray and the city of siding with the refinery.

Bray said they had been in “near constant communication” with the union and the refinery.

Dias and Brad Delorey, spokesperson for the CRC, said the first they heard about the threat was from the FOI.

Workers have been locked out since Dec. 5, 2019. While some pickets have resumed, many were suspended due to COVID-19.

Dias said he believes if the shoe was on the other foot, the refinery and their executive would have been notified.

“They charged our members with an illegal parade,” said Dias. “Are you kidding me?”