Judge Finds Man Not Criminally Responsible in Carney Threats

A Quebec City judge ruled that Ousmane Bah suffered from a mental disorder when he made threats against Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Terrorism

Judge Finds Man Not Criminally Responsible in Carney Threats

Judge Alex Savoie declared Ousmane Bah, 45, not criminally responsible after Bah made Facebook posts threatening to kill Prime Minister Mark Carney, King Charles, Donald Trump and Richard Wagner. Crown prosecutors decided not to pursue further legal proceedings following a psychiatric evaluation.

Why it matters

The ruling means Bah will not face criminal penalties despite being charged with uttering threats and promoting hatred against an identifiable group. The outcome highlights how Canadian courts handle threats against public officials when a mental disorder is found to have prevented the accused from knowing his actions were wrong.

Bah was charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and with promoting hatred against an identifiable group. He attended the hearing from the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec in Quebec City, and the court has ruled him not criminally responsible.

The players

Ousmane Bah

The 45-year-old man at the centre of the case, who was found not criminally responsible for the threats after a psychiatric evaluation.

Mark Carney

The Prime Minister of Canada, who was among the officials Bah threatened on Facebook.

Alex Savoie

The judge who presided over the hearing and declared Bah not criminally responsible.

The details

Bah made several Facebook posts threatening to kill the named officials, prompting an RCMP investigation that began in July. He was immediately ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, after which a team at the hospital will oversee his care depending on how his condition evolves.

July: RCMP investigation into Bah began.
September: Bah was arrested.
November 2, 2026: Judge declared Bah not criminally responsible at the hearing.

Legal Context

The ruling applies Canada's Criminal Code mental disorder provisions, which allow courts to find an accused not criminally responsible when a mental disorder prevents understanding that an act was wrong. The case follows that framework in a high-profile threat involving a sitting prime minister.

Residents should understand that threats against public officials are prosecuted under the uttering threats provisions, but a finding of non-criminal responsibility means no criminal penalty will be imposed. Ongoing care oversight at the Quebec City hospital will determine how the accused is managed going forward.

The takeaway

Court findings of non-criminal responsibility rest on a mental disorder that prevents an accused from knowing an act was wrong, not on whether threats were made. Readers following public-safety cases should note that such rulings shift the focus from punishment to ongoing psychiatric supervision.