New Quebec gov’t bothered that accused shooter managed to air radio interview

QUEBEC – The newly formed Quebec government is troubled that accused killer Richard Henry Bain was able to speak to the media from a detention centre.

The Parti Quebecois’ new public safety minister says he’s bothered that the man accused of shooting two people on election night had access to a radio audience.

Bain called a Montreal station yesterday and small snippets of a 38-minute interview were aired on English- and French-language stations of the Astral radio network.

The accused shooter reportedly told the network that he’d had a vision from God that Montreal should become its own province, and separate from Quebec.

Bain did not want to talk about the election night killing, where two people were shot outside PQ headquarters and a stage technician died. He wanted to discuss his political vision.

On his way into his first cabinet meeting today in Quebec City, Public Security Minister Stephane Bergeron said he will investigate whether a prisoner should have access to a phone in order to transmit messages through the mass media.

The radio station CJAD, which conducted the interview, said Bain called from the infirmary of his Montreal detention centre — without the knowledge of his lawyer.