National Post (National Edition)
He was not necessarily overtly racist or Islamophobic, but he had borderline misogynist, Islamophobic viewpoints ... unfortunately that’s become more or less acceptable these days. —
QUEBEC • Alexandre Bissonnette, who was charged late Monday with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder, is a fan of U.S. President Donald Trump, French far right leader Marine Le Pen, the separatist Parti Québécois and Mathieu Bock-Cóté, a Quebec City columnist known for his pro-nationalist and anti-multicultural views, according to what appears to have been his Facebook account.
Police are still trying to determine what may have motivated Bissonnette, 27, who did not have a previous criminal record and was known as an introvert.
A fellow university student however, who also knew Bissonnette from high school, said he had developed radical views.
“He was not necessarily overtly racist or Islamophobic, but he had borderline misogynist, Islamophobic viewpoints,” said Vincent Boissonneault, who is in International Studies at Université Laval.
“Unfortunately that’s become more or less acceptable these days.”
Bissonnette did not show signs of mental illness or paranoia, Boissonneault said, adding he didn’t think he was part of an organized extremist group, either.
Bissonnette, who has an identical twin brother, was studying anthropology at Université Laval before switching to an undergraduate degree in political science. He has now been banned from all studies or research activities until the court process is over, the school said.
The Facebook account had numerous selfies of the neatly groomed young man, who appeared to be a blues fan and was a member of the Laval chess club and a birding group.
Bissonnette was in the cadet program in the Quebec City area between 2002 and 2004, Canadian Cadet Organizations said in a statement.
The national program focuses on developing leadership and citizenship skills as well as physical fitness. Cadets are not members of the Canadian Armed Forces and do not receive military training.
Another Facebook post refers to the Bissonnette family’s military service — a grandfather apparently served in France and Germany in the Second World War.
Another “like” was for the Parti Québécois association in Louis-Hebert, a riding in Quebec’s national capital region currently held by a Liberal member, and another for H.G. Wells, author of the 1890s science-fiction novel War of the Worlds.
His favourite citation, according to the Facebook page, was taken from the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato:
“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.”
An organization devoted to helping refugees in the capital city said Bissonnette’s name and photograph, as they appeared in the media, were already familiar to them.
On a Facebook post they said they learned “with sadness and anger about the identity of the terrorist Alexandre Bissonnette, unfortunately known by several activists in Quebec City for his viewpoints that were pro-LePen and antifeminist, as expressed in social media and at Université Laval.”
Reached by phone, Deschamps did not want to go into detail about Bissonnette while the police investigation is ongoing. But like others he spoke of the polarization in Quebec City between those who warmly welcomed the Syrian refugees and others whose antiimmigrant discourse has become increasingly harsh.
According to La Presse, Bissonnette was often bullied at school.
“In high school, he and his brother didn’t really have friends. Alexandre certainly had an anti-social personality,” said Stéphanie Guimond, who attended the same high school.
AN ATTACK AGAINST A PLACE OF WORSHIP, AGAINST PEOPLE PRAYING IN A MOSQUE IS AN ATTACK ON THESE VERY FREEDOMS. IT NEGATES THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH CANADA WAS FOUNDED. — INTERIM CONSERVATIVE LEADER RONA AMBROSE