A former army reservist who crashed a truck loaded with weapons through the gates of Rideau Hall to confront Prime Minister Justin Trudeau four years ago has been freed on statutory release.
A Parole Board of Canada decision obtained by Media said Corey Hurren was scheduled for release on July 7. A subsequent ruling by the same agency gave the date as July 9.
The decision said he would be moving to “a room at a house” after spending the past 20 months on day parole at a community residential facility. Further details on the house were blacked out.
At the recommendation of the Correctional Service of Canada, the Parole Board imposed four conditions upon his release, including psychological counselling.
He must also seek employment, take prescribed mediation and share his financial information with his parole officer. “The conditions are reasonable and necessary,” the Board wrote.
On July 2, 2020, Hurren rammed his pickup through the gates of Rideau Hall, where Trudeau had been conducting daily news conferences. The Manitoba resident was armed with a semi-automatic rifle, two shotguns and two handguns.
During the 90-minute standoff, he told police he had come to “arrest” Trudeau, whom he believed was a communist. He also felt the pandemic was planned and was angry about gun laws.
At the time, he was a master corporal in the 4th Canadian Rangers Patrol Group. He was officially released from the military in 2021. A National Defence report said he “issued threats against the prime minister.”
The judge said his purpose was “targeting the prime minister,” and called his actions a “politically motivated armed assault intended to intimidate Canada’s elected government.”
“Mr. Hurren carefully planned his actions, and he committed them for the purpose of bringing attention to his political views,” the judge wrote.
“He forced his way onto the grounds of Prime Minister Trudeau’s residence, intending to have a confrontation. This was an armed aggression against the government which must be denounced in the strongest terms.”
Hurren claimed he expected police would kill him.