Nova Scotia

No charges after police interview person who sent suspicious packages to N.S. politicians

Nova Scotia RCMP say while they weren't able to determine what substance was in the packages, it wasn't harmful. They say the Halifax woman who allegedly sent them won't face any charges.

A year ago a package with a mysterious substance was sent to local political offices in Nova Scotia

Two bright red Canada Post mailboxes.
Nova Scotia RCMP say they will not charge anyone in relation to suspicious packages containing a mysterious substance sent to offices of elected politicians in the province. (Joe Passaretti/CBC)

While Nova Scotia RCMP say they know who sent mysterious packages to local offices of federal and provincial politicians a year ago, they won't press any charges.

"The contents of the envelopes were really just ideologically based. They were printed pages and those kinds of things primarily related to COVID-19 restrictions," Cpl. Chris Marshall told Radio-Canada in an interview on Tuesday.

The packages were delivered to federal constituency offices in Barrington, Yarmouth and Bridgewater on Feb. 7, 2022. There were also packages delivered to provincial constituency offices in Meteghan, Liverpool, Yarmouth, Kentville and Kingston.

In two of the cases, people who handled the packages had an adverse reaction to whatever was inside.

"Our investigators weren't able to determine that there were any noxious substances located inside the envelopes," Marshall said, adding the investigation has ended.

A police officer stands outside a building.
Cpl. Chris Marshall says RCMP officers first try to find someone else who can drive a person to the hospital, but if they decide they have to go, they are not tied up waiting. (Radio-Canada)

Marshall said the person who sent the packages was a woman in Halifax.

"And in speaking with her, the intent behind the sending of the these envelopes was really to just basically as a form of action related to the COVID-19 restrictions," he said. 

"And that was really all it was.... We weren't able to basically determine there was a criminal intent."

With files from Adrien Blanc