CHIBOUGAMAU | Although the verdict is not yet on the record, Brian Paré's family and colleagues are worried about him should he one day return to Nord-du-Québec.
“It is certain that people will blame him for the stress and damage he has caused,” notes Gabrielle Veilleux Boutet, his mother. I'm afraid he'll be killed…”
More than eight months after the outbreak of Fire 213, commonly referred to as the Cavan Lake Fire, the devastation caused by Brian Paré across the northern Quebec landscape is still clearly visible. PHOTO Vincent Desbiens
After his arrest, Paré was imprisoned in Roberval prison while awaiting trial. In the following weeks he had to be transferred to the Quebec internment camp because his life was in danger.
“Other prisoners wanted to send him a message. They stole his meals and set fire to his bed,” says Ms. Veilleux Boutet, with a hint of concern in her voice.
Arsonist Brian Paré's mother, Gabrielle Veilleux Boutet, worries about her son's future on the day he is released from prison. She believes many people still hold grudges against her because her actions endangered the lives of hundreds of people. PHOTO Vincent Desbiens
Brian Paré's lawyer, Me Jean Girard, confirmed this version to the Journal. However, his client is back in Roberval in another area of the detention center.
“Don’t let him come back here too quickly.”
A colleague of the Entretien industrial Éco arsonist, Éric Asselin, claims he will not quickly forgive him for endangering the livelihoods of a large part of the region.
“I don't wish him any harm either, but if I were him I would be worried. It's hard to accept what he did. He put the lives of hundreds of people in danger and for a really stupid reason,” he emphasizes.
Jacynthe, a citizen of Chibougamau, doesn't mince her words when she hears the name Brian Paré.
“He's a real idiot. Even if he is mentally ill, he shouldn't get away with it so easily. […] Don't come back here too quickly because there is a couple who will be waiting for him.
However, during our visit, several residents of Chapais, who were evacuated due to the 38-year-old man's actions near Lake Cavan, reiterated that they have no antipathy towards him.
The residents of Chapais are not only angry, but above all disappointed, because they learn that fire 213, which forced the evacuation of half the city, is of a criminal nature. You will never be able to explain what might have been going through Brian Paré's mind on May 31, 2023. PHOTO Vincent Desbiens
Rather, they say they are “disappointed” that someone who probably loves their region has decided to set it on fire.