OTTAWA, Ontario โ The Conservative Party is urging the Liberal government to take immediate action against individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claiming that the fatal shooting of Toronto Police Constable Marc Pinizzotto has underscored a growing national security threat in Canada.
In a news release following Question Period in the House of Commons, the Conservatives expressed that Canadians are still mourning the loss of Pinizzotto, who was killed while Toronto Police officers executed search warrants related to investigations, including the shooting at the United States Consulate in Toronto in March. This operation was also linked to an investigation into a shooting targeting a Toronto synagogue, which the party described as evidence of an increasingly dangerous security environment.
The Conservatives referenced reporting by The Globe and Mail, which indicated that U.S. prosecutors have connected these shootings to a terrorist network allegedly backed by the IRGC, responsible for at least 18 similar attacks across Canada, the United States, and Europe. According to the Conservative Party, these developments highlight the ongoing direct threat that foreign-sponsored terrorist networks pose to Canadian public safety.
The party cited previous reports by Global News, stating that in 2023, as many as 700 individuals associated with the Iranian regime were believed to be operating in Canada. The Conservatives pointed out that the federal government identified nearly 30 individuals thought to be senior Iranian regime officials who could be subject to removal under immigration provisions. However, the Conservatives noted that only one individual has been deported since that identification was made.
“Canadians are now living in fear as synagogues, community centers, businesses, and even foreign consulates are being shot at,” the party stated in its announcement.
During Question Period, the Conservatives questioned Liberal ministers about what additional steps the government has taken to remove IRGC-linked individuals and prevent foreign-sponsored extremist networks from operating in Canada. According to the party, the ministers did not directly answer whether any additional deportations had occurred beyond the single removal previously disclosed by the government.
“The Liberals couldn’t answer whether they’ve deported any more than just one IRGC terrorist,” the statement said, criticizing the response as filled with “mealy-mouthed words, not concrete actions.”
The Conservative Party contended that Canada’s public safety challenges have evolved beyond conventional policing and now constitute a broader national security issue requiring stronger enforcement measures. They noted that Canada formally designated the IRGC as a terrorist entity in 2024. While they acknowledged that this designation was an important step, they insisted that further actions, including deportations of eligible Iranian regime officials and operatives, should follow.
The death of Constable Pinizzotto has renewed attention on the threats facing both Canadian law enforcement and Jewish communities. Following the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, police services across Canada have reported a significant increase in antisemitic incidents. Jewish schools, synagogues, community centers, and businesses have experienced shootings, vandalism, threats, and other hate-motivated crimes. In response, police agencies and federal authorities have heightened security around Jewish institutions in several major Canadian cities.
The investigation into the March shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto remains active, with U.S. prosecutors alleging connections between the suspects and an IRGC-backed network. Canadian authorities are treating the situation as a serious national security investigation. The circumstances surrounding Constable Pinizzotto’s death are still before the courts, and investigators have not publicly claimed that the officer was targeted for ideological reasons.
The Conservatives emphasized that recent events reinforce the need for stronger measures to address foreign interference, terrorism, and extremist violence before more lives are endangered. “It is time for the Liberals to take this threat seriously and deliver decisive action that protects Canadians,” the party concluded.
At the time of publication, the Liberal government had not provided a detailed response to the Conservatives’ specific allegations.
