Get the Top, Local stories delivered to your inbox! Click here to join the daily Vernon Matters newsletter.
By Canadian Press

Quebec inmate who spent 51 months on lam pleads guilty to escaping federal prison

Mar 21, 2024 | 8:45 AM

MONTREAL — A Quebec man who spent 51 months on the lam from a federal prison before he was arrested last year has pleaded guilty to escaping custody.

Denis Bégin was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be served concurrently with a life sentence that he is already serving for second-degree murder. 

Court documents in an unrelated case from Correctional Service Canada identify Bégin as a suspect in the Old Montreal fire last year that killed seven people, but police have never publicly identified him as a suspect and no charges have been laid in that case.

Bégin, 63, pleaded guilty today in a brief appearance by video conference before Quebec court Judge Marc-André Dagenais in Laval, Que., north of Montreal.

View Comments

Other Matters

Stepping Aside
Wooldridge not seeking re-election to Kelowna city council
Kelowna city councillor Loyal Wooldridge will not run for re-election in this fall's municipal vote, bringing an end to eight years on council.Wooldridge says the decision comes after careful reflection on the demands of public life and a desire to spend more time with family and focus on personal priorities, including...
A few minutes ago
Read More
Wildfire Detection
B.C. ministers tour UBCO wildfire research as drought risk rises in Okanagan
A B.C. government delegation visited UBC Okanagan this week to tour wildfire research, training and emerging technology aimed at improving fire detection, forecasting and response across the province.The demonstration highlighted artificial intelligence-powered camera systems designed to detect smoke at the earliest st...
5m ago
Read More
Drying Up
Drought tightening across Okanagan as heat, dry weather persist
Dry conditions continue to intensify across the Okanagan, with prolonged heat placing growing pressure on local water systems and keeping Greater Vernon under Stage 3 water restrictions as reservoirs and streams continue to drop.Officials say the ongoing dry spell is also starting to weigh on agriculture, with orchards...
5m ago
Read More
July 1 Party
Enderby hosting all-day Canada Day celebrations
A full day's worth of celebrations will go in the North Okanagan to celebrate the nation's birthday.The City of Enderby will host Canada Day celebrations at Riverside Park July 1.The day will kick off with the Enderby Lions Pancake Breakfast and Classic Car Show registration at 8 a.m.; followed by the Canada Day Parade...
5h ago
Read More
Missing person
Public asked for assistance locating missing youth
Police have put out a call for assistance in locating a missing youth.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said 14-year-old Zaharah Walker was last seen at her residence on Bryden Road in Vernon on June 16.Police believed the girl left her home on foot and was possibly attempting to hitchhike to Lilooet.Zaharah was described as ...
18h ago
Read More
System Upgrade
BC Hydro increasing electricity capacity with Revelstoke project
B.C. Hydro will be increasing its electricity capacity with upgrades to a generating system in the Southern Interior.The utility provider said it had begun construction of a sixth unit at the Revelstoke Generating Station, which should add 500 megawatts of capacity to the system. Upgrades will also be made to Units 1 t...
20h ago
Read More
MLA calls it 'Important Victory'
Bailey's Law passes Senate
Kelowna Centre BC Conservative MLA Kristina Loewen is welcoming the passage of Bailey's Law, now set to become federal law after passing the Senate.She calls it an important victory in the fight against intimate partner violence.The law makes the killing of an intimate partner an automatic first-degree murder charge wh...
20h ago
Read More
Party On
Free fan fest, watch parties headline Touchdown Kelowna Festival
Football fans and families will have nine days of free activities, concerts and watch parties to enjoy when the Touchdown Kelowna Festival takes over Waterfront Park later this month.The city says Touchdown Kelowna Fan Fest, presented by Telus, will run from June 27 to July 4 and coincide with the BC Lions' visit to th...
20h ago
Read More
Fundraiser
Midsummer's Eve of the Arts celebrates 40 years
The annual fundraiser for the Vernon Public Art Gallery hits a major milestone year this summer.The 40th annual Midsummer's Eve of the Arts will go at the Coldstream Community Hall on July 15.The event sees people bid in live and silent auctions featuring works donated by local artists, as well as luxury and experience...
22h ago
Read More

What Matters

Missing person
Public asked for assistance locating missing youth
18h ago
Policing
RCMP searching for missing Vernon woman
22h ago
Underused Facility
Local MP calls for Vernon cadet camp be used for Armed Forces expansion
Jun 17, 2026
Hot, Dry Conditions & Elevated Risks
Wildfire, drought risks high heading into summer: B.C. Government
Jun 16, 2026
149 Hectare Blaze
Wildfire near Stump Lake Being Held, Evacuation Alerts still in place
Jun 16, 2026