Here is part of the statement to the House of Commons by Prime Minister Stephen Harper Thursday morning
We may sit across the aisle from one another but when faced with attacks on the country we all love and the things we all stand for, I know we will always stand together.
Let me … Mr. Speaker, through you, provide a little bit of advice to my colleagues. I think my position and growing number of grey hairs entitles me to do this once in a while, and that is to say we all here are engaged in extremely demanding and stressful jobs, but the stress that many of you faced yesterday was really beyond and above anything that any of us are really expecting to face.
While we resume our duties, and I will talk about that in a moment, I would encourage everybody here to take care of their health. Be sure that you find some time to relax in the next little while and also if any of you – because we are not all in perfect health – if any of you are experiencing any undue physical stress as a result of what occurred yesterday, please take the time to see a physician and get that checked out.
I also want to say we heard a lot of feedback from Canadians yesterday. We are all used to the feedback we get very regularly from Canadians, much of it in the form of brickbats and some of it deserved, but in this case I think we all experienced the tremendous outpouring of warmth, affection and good wishes from people across the country and we all thank them for this.
I also want to convey all the good wishes that I heard personally, not just from Canadians, but from our friends outside the country. I heard from President (Barack) Obama, from Prime Minister (Tony) Abbott, from Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, through a statement from Prime Minister (David) Cameron. We have heard these expressions from across the world. I think we were all as Canadians touched by the wonderful gesture shown last night at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hockey game. So thank you to our friends in the United States and around the world for their expressions of concern.
Of course, we know all too well that this is not a happy day for everybody – in particular, a terribly sad day for all of the family, loved ones, friends and colleagues of both Nathan Cirillo and Patrice Vincent.
We have all seen the pictures of these “beautiful guys,” as Don Cherry would say, and our hearts really are with all of them. We are so fortunate to have people like this. In the past couple of decades, we see across the world increasing places where the planet is descending into savagery and there are people who, every day of their lives, stand on guard for this country and for all of us. We obviously want to convey our gratitude to these two servicemen and their families, but also to all the people who undertake this extremely dangerous work on behalf of our country.
I spoke of the state of much of the world and I think for all of us who are blessed to live in a country like this, it is hard to appreciate, understand, fathom how we can have people who are involved in a movement who so want violence, who so despise modernity, who so hate progress that they can desire to drive out medical workers from their community, harm them, how they can enslave women, torture children, how they can kill, want to kill anyone who looks or thinks differently than them.
It is in a sense beyond our comprehension, but it is very real. In this struggle in which we are engaged, in which not only our finest values must be put to work, so must be and will be the highest unity and resolve. They are our ultimate and indispensable weapons and that is what these people will face.
We will not be intimidated. We will be vigilant, but we will not run scared. We will be prudent, but we will not panic.
As for the business of government, well, here we are here, in our seats, in our chamber, in the very heart of our democracy, and our work goes on.
Canada will never yield to terrorism and neither will this House of Commons — we carry on. We will attend to the country’s affairs and we will be faithful to the trust that people have placed in us.
As I said earlier, and I have been saying for a long time, we live in a dangerous world. Terrorism has been here with us for a while, and dangerously close on a number of occasions. For example, I draw members’ attention back to incidents such as the Toronto 18 and the VIA Rail conspiracy in 2013, and I could point to a number of others, as well as many that most will never know about.
For that reason, and with the belief and security that Canada is the government’s primary responsibility, we have, over the years, passed such legislation as the Combating Terrorism Act and the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act to better protect Canadians and secure our institutions.
Last week, our government proposed amendments to the legislation under which the Canadian Security Intelligence Service operates.
As members know, in recent weeks, I have been saying that our laws and police powers need to be strengthened in the area of surveillance, detention, and arrest. They need to be much strengthened. I assure members that work which is already under way will be expedited.
In conclusion, we are all aware and deeply troubled that both of this week’s terrorist attacks were carried out by Canadian citizens, by young men born and raised in this peaceful country.
… For now, make no mistake, even as the brave men and women of our Armed Forces are taking this fight to the terrorists on their own territory, we are equally resolved to fight it here. We live in dangerous times, yes, but the mission of our country and the work of this Parliament goes on, and so does the work throughout this city.
Let me just say one final word in recognizing all of the heroics of yesterday. … I know people who, for all of us across the country and here in Ottawa, were working day and night to make things as easy as possible, officials who were busy at work trying to respond to the situation, first responders and citizens who put themselves in harm’s way when this incident began to unfold, but obviously, in conclusion, most particularly, the men and women in our security services, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Armed Forces, the City of Ottawa Police and, of course, I would be very remiss if I did not acknowledge, specifically, the work of the security forces here on Parliament Hill and the great work of our Sergeant-at-Arms.
Here is part of the statement to the House of Commons by NDP Leader Tom Mulcair Thursday morning
Yesterday’s cowardly act was meant to shake this great city of Ottawa and indeed the entire country, but it has only hardened our resolve. It only strengthened our commitment to each other and to a peaceful world. Let us not become more suspicious of our neighbours. Let us not be driven by fear, because in Canada love always triumphs over hate.
For the family of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, may they please know that the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House and of every single Canadian are with them today. Cpl. Cirillo was a young man, just 24, with a beautiful son and a bright future ahead of him. Friends said he always had a smile on his face. That smile will be remembered by a nation.
… One of my favourite examples of how this parliamentary area, in and of itself, becomes a symbol of the freedom and openness of this great country of ours, Canada, is that every Wednesday at noon during good weather, we can see hundreds of people, multi-coloured, doing yoga on the front lawn. It is a symbol of openness and freedom and the person who came here yesterday with violence on his mind and in his gestures did not win. We cannot allow that openness and freedom to be rolled back either. We have to continue to defend both.
Today I stand here on behalf of all New Democrats and Canadians. We say that there is great solidarity here in the House and across the country. There is solidarity with the Prime Minister. These acts were driven by hatred, but also designed to drive us to hate others. That is not going to happen. We will stand up and we will stand together. We will preserve, we will persevere, we will prevail, because that is what Canadians have always done together. That is what we do best together.
Here is part of the statement to the House of Commons by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau Thursday morning
Yesterday’s events were a shared national tragedy. It is fitting that we have come together in this place immediately to let the world know that Canada’s values are strong, our institutions are resilient, and our people are united.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims of yesterday’s tragic events. Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was murdered while guarding our nation’s sacred memorial to his own fallen comrades. He was unarmed.
I also extend my deep and sincere gratitude on behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada to the brave women and men who selflessly and courageously came to our aid yesterday. Through them and their actions, we are reminded of the professionalism and dedication so often exhibited by those who protect us. I thank them.
… Kevin (Vickers), without your courage a terrible situation would have become much worse. We are in your debt. Canadians are proud of you and they thank you.
Yesterday’s attack on both our military and our most cherished democratic symbols was designed to frighten us. It was meant to embed without our minds an image of terror. It was meant to make us think differently about our surroundings and fellow citizens.
… We are a proud democracy. We are a welcoming and peaceful nation, a country of open arms, open minds and open hearts. We are a nation of fairness, justice and the rule of law. We will not be intimidated into changing that by anybody. Instead, these are the very values and ideals upon which we must rely in the days ahead. It is in our dedication to these principles that we can set an example to the world.
Let us also remember what we are up against. The individuals who committed these awful acts are not larger than life. They are not giants. They are certainly not martyrs. That is how they would like us to see them, but it is not what they are. Seeing them that way lets the fear they try to perpetuate grow.
… They will not make the rules about this land we share and they will not get to change us.
We are aware of the threats we face as a nation. We know, as we have long known, that we are not immune, nor can we guard totally against danger in the future. What we can do is not let these threats define us.
We need answers as to how and why this happened. They will be vital in preventing and helping to prevent any future attacks.
… Those who carried out these attacks wanted to leave us with an image of fear and chaos. Let us remember one of strength and of hope. The image in our collective minds and shared in our hearts is one of Canadians helping and protecting Canadians, of passersby trying to save the life of a young man who gave it in service to his country.
Here is part of the statement to the House of Commons by Green Leader Elizabeth May Thursday morning
It is rare in the House to be united as we are now.
All of us in different ways yesterday experienced the fear of being locked down somewhere, not knowing quite what was going on. All of us, and some of my colleagues far more than I, experienced the real terror that comes from thinking someone with a gun is on the other side of a door and they are at risk.
I know these moments are important and we should underline that there is no partisanship in the House when we are all together. In the same way, I guess that there are no atheists in fox holes, there are no political party leaders when we share a common experience of such basic fear and concern for our loved ones and for our well-being. All of us together are family. We need to feel it and say it more often, that we are together in this place, and our constituents need to know. We are not at war with each other, as the prime minister said.
… This country lost two wonderful men this week through cold-blooded murder.
… These are crimes that cut to the heart of all of us. We get to know something of their lives, and we get to realize with every passing day and revealed detail of their personal lives how much we all lose as a nation when two such fine men are so senselessly and brutally killed.
We know, as I think we always knew, that our sergeant-at-arms is a consummate professional. He is more than a ceremonial figure. The finest thing that we could do for him right now would be to let him leave this place and go fly fishing on the Miramichi.
In closing, I want to wish all of my colleagues and all Canadians well. I pray for one thing: that we hang on to the sense of common, shared purpose, that we remain calm, and that we wait for answers from the police before we make any assumptions about motivations, connections or the extent of what we face.
… Let us be the place that exemplifies the words of our founding documents. Let us exemplify peace, order and good government.