Your thoughts on the shooting on Parliament hill

Our society is based on fundamental legal principles. One of those principles is that a victim can not make justice for itself.

We, MPs in the House of Commons, have been the victim of an attempted murder by what appears increasingly to be an isolated act of someone with psychological distress. We as MPs have the power to change laws. I firmly believe that in the case before us, we must make an extra effort to keep a cool head and have the interests of citizens at the center of our concerns. We must not upset the delicate balance between security and individual rights without a real social debate. We need to reflect on the tragedy that has occurred and avoid the temptation to drift to a paranoid security obsession.

We must not give in to fear. We should not act on the heat of the moment without a thorough reflexion and debate.

Tell me what you think about the events and what should come next:

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Showing 260 reactions

Lois White commented 2014-10-27 14:12:29 -0400

The government are always too quick to change the laws. This person definitely has had lots of problems within the family and couldn’t get his passport to go back to his home country. Also he was on street drugs in Vancouver and in Ottawa. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if he was on psychiatric medications which cause people to react this way. SSRI’s and many psychiatric drugs cause a person to commit mass shootings just like Columbine school and many other horrendous suicides and murders. Of course they will never tell you that in the mainstream media. Check out Citizens Commission on Human Rights for more information.
Diana Ralph commented 2014-10-27 14:05:02 -0400

I strongly agree with your stance. Re-affirm commitment to due process and human rights—no Islamophobic attacks on Muslims. Get out of war on Iraq. Stop supporting Israeli war crimes.
Elizabeth Godley commented 2014-10-27 13:57:03 -0400

I totally agree. The shooter was mentally ill, and not a member of a terrorist organization. No major threat to Canada. We must increase the care options for folks like him, not freak out and fill the jails.
Sandra Dennis commented 2014-10-27 13:54:44 -0400

The HARPER government is using fear mongering to enact laws that will curb our rights and freedoms and privacy
lyn farquharson commented 2014-10-27 13:47:56 -0400
Thomas Hoar commented 2014-10-27 13:46:16 -0400
Karen Nystrom commented 2014-10-27 13:41:59 -0400

I agree that we should NOT be hasty. This sad situation was that of a person who obviously had drug addiction and psychiatric problems that were not adequately addressed by our failing mental health system. It was a random act. This random act should not be used by the Harperites to increase the powers of our rapidly expanding police state. Also, since Canada is at war and our citizens are subject to a very right-wing government, paranoia will naturally increase within the populace and some will feel it necessary to ‘act out’.

I only pray that our opposition parties will come together and help to protect Canadian freedom, and keep Canada’s extreme right-wing politicians reigned in for one more year. I worry that Canadians wont be allowed to vote in 2015 – that there will be some ‘excuse’ to circumvent our democratic right – a prorogation or war measures act or yet another omnibus bill.
J Andrews commented 2014-10-27 13:35:24 -0400

I agree this should not be rushed. We do not even have all the facts as to why this happened, if it was just a disturbed individual must we all lose our privacy, or should there be a closer look at Healthcare, specifically Harper not renewing the accord. Also, there should be questions about the scrapping of the long gun registry, and how the weapon was obtained.
Hilda Higney commented 2014-10-27 13:33:23 -0400

MMMM, My Feedback? Well i have a lot of thoughts, as we all do BUT, why is this happening in Canada? How did a person dressed as he was with long black coat and i am certain if he had been looked at closer, the bulk of rifle/shotgun would have been noticed, before he entered building??? I come fro large Family 13, with 6 older brothers with 2 brothers in 2 wars and 2 in 1 war. I really do not know what to put in as feedback, at this time, probably later on, i will. Thank you Best Regards Hilda Geddes Higney , Beautiful, Nova Scotia!
John Cowan commented 2014-10-27 13:32:09 -0400

this problem was not caused by lack of legal power or police enforcement, so why should the solution involve either of those factors? I understand that this is not something we are used to seeing in canada, but most of the rest of the world has similar problems, why should we be immune? all we can do is continue to protect ourselves with what means are available. our current police and military forces are doing an admirable job of protecting us; only a few deaths caused by mulim extremists have happened this year in canada, which I think is a remarkable record of success.
Geoffrey Pounder commented 2014-10-27 13:29:41 -0400

Looks as if PM Harper is taking lessons from Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine”. With their shrieks about “terrorism”, politicians, the security apparatus, and the media are deliberately whipping up hysteria. Their agenda is clear: demonize the terrorist group-of-the-week; create suspicion among neighbours; and heighten the paranoia. The NDP must not cave in to Harper’s security-state agenda. Who is the real threat to our democratic institutions? Citizens need to stand on guard for Canada.
Darlene Adamson commented 2014-10-27 13:28:30 -0400

I have to disagree with you. Public safety and the lives of innocent people is at risk. A five year old boy has lost his father, he was unarmed, defending our national monument. I believe safety is more important than privacy.
M. Kennedy commented 2014-10-27 13:24:43 -0400

What I fear most-and I felt this since 2006-is the election of the ‘Harper government(s)’; neo-libs without souls hijacking a caring society via a flawed electoral system and hammering it into a state modelled on themselves.
Pete Kirby commented 2014-10-27 13:21:55 -0400

Thanks you, Alexandre. I could not agree more. Probably with a degree of mental instability in each case, it is now clear (police report this morning), that each assassin was motivated by anti-west Muslim extremism. But it should be no surprise: for over a century the British, French, Americans – and their oil industries – have been invading, bombing, killing, propping up corrupt regimes, while supporting Israel in their oppression of Palestinians and theft of their land….and now, of course, it is Harper. Blowback – pure and simple. We must get rid of this idiot and take our old Canada back!
Ron Sward commented 2014-10-27 13:21:47 -0400

It was tragic to say the least but the tragedy started years ago with cuts to Federal Transfer payments for the countries medical plan. Cuts were implemented by the CONServatives and the LIbERalS. Increase taxes on industry and the elites, stop subsidising multi-national companies, and increase Federal Transfer payments.
Brianne Stremel commented 2014-10-27 13:19:32 -0400

I believe that there is not enough information to make any decisions, and that some of the decisions and statements that have been made have come from a place of pre-existing political agendas. Whether or not the man was affiliated with a so-called terrorist organization, we owe it to ourselves and to other potential victims (should there be a retaliation) to examine the facts more carefully before jumping to conclusions. We don’t want to end up in the same predicament the United States of America has landed themselves in – time and time again.
Karl Braeker commented 2014-10-27 13:17:10 -0400

While the actions by the shooter in Ottawa and the hit& run near Montreal cannot be defended ,it would help to look at the root causes of these discontented citizens of Canada. From news reports, I understand that the shooter suffered from same kind of mental illnes in the past, for which he sought help, which he did not get. No amount of increased police powers would help alleviate the dangers posed by phsycopats that are unable to find help for mental illnes. On the bigger picture of increased threat of terrorism coming from Islamic states, I have learned one thing in my life : For every action there is a reaction. I punch you in the nose, your reaction will NOT be a loving hug.

We send our fighter planes to bomb and kill , what kind of response do we expect. These Islamic states do not possess the military hardware to retaliate in kind, so they respond with overt actions in frustration.

I subscribe to the Lester Pearson kind of warfare, by concerted United Nations action to set up PEACE KEEPING

forces to prevent excesses and attacks on human rights anywhere in this world.

Killing has never solved any problems. After the killings and wanton destruction ends, we are faced with the same problems we faced BEFORE the killing started.

We have to stop being blind followers of Washington imperialism. We have to be a voice of REASON.

At one point in the past century, Canada was known AND respected as the a voice of reason. No longer.
pat morin followed this page 2014-10-27 13:17:02 -0400
pat morin commented 2014-10-27 13:15:31 -0400

Given the state of affairs as described by Harper, having a soldier stand there alone, unarmed, is like standing in an open field, under a lightning rod during a thunderstorm. I would think safety would be paramount given Harper’s rhetoric on the current world situation. Workmans’ Compensation Board or its Ontario equivalent would certainly have something to say.

When people feel inspired by leaders outside Canada, that says something about our own.
Jen Thiele commented 2014-10-27 13:14:41 -0400

Hi there. I am appalled that no one is talking about the shooter’s mental health status. He was homeless, and addicted to crack cocaine and begging for help. Our social programs failed this individual and in turn it failed our system, because this individual lashed out and took the life of an individual and in the end his life wound up being taken as well. He was an individual who as well was misled my the extremists, but it’s easy to become misled in any life when you don’t have proper supports around you. ISIS will continue to feed on individuals like this who are looking for acceptance. We have to take this opportunity to look at how we are supporting our society and what programs we have available to help the individuals in our society who need it the most. Thank you for your time.
Susan Chivers commented 2014-10-27 13:14:04 -0400

This rushing through of bills that are unconstitutional deeply disturbs me. We should never forfeit our Rights and Freedoms. Unwarranted access to our very private and personal information is a huge violation of our Rights. It is entirely unnecessary as well. There is not an unbiased oversight at CSEC now and Bill-C13 will make matters worse. No, to more unnecessary and unconstitutional law is what I say!
Wayne Fisher commented 2014-10-27 13:12:56 -0400

I think we are acting too quickly. All of this tragedy might have been averted if this man with mental health issues had been helped. He was looking for that help, but wasn’t getting it, therefore, I really don’t think this was a terrorist attack and this is all falling into Mr. Harper’s hand to take more of our civil rights away from us. This makes me think more and more of the book “1984” and government watching too closely into our private lives.
Kathryn Belzer commented 2014-10-27 13:09:43 -0400

I agree with you. Better mental health services may be indicated by these events; a less civil society is not indicated.
brian fitzpatrick commented 2014-10-27 13:07:32 -0400

We have enough laws now to deal with these situations. Apply the laws we have.

I don’t want further erosion of my Charter Rights due to some knee jerk reaction to somebody taking a few shots at politicians.

What we really need is thorough police investigations of work place injuries and death. The Worker’s Compensation ACT has immunized employers from criminal law.

The RCMP motto of “Defend the Law” has been usurped by the WC ACT and thrown workers Charter Right to Life and Security of the Person on the trash heap.

There must be a rewrite of the ACT through a Supreme Court of Canada order to include thorough and serious police investigations to work place incidents and a worker’s right to access Civil Court must be returned.

We must rid ourselves of this two tiered judicial system.
Stephen Woof Woof commented 2014-10-27 13:06:39 -0400

There are no new laws needed in the wake of the attacks last week. These individuals had mental issues and were on the police radar. If the police had acted, within the laws already in place, the attackers could have been stopped. Give the police the resources they need. New laws curbing citizens rights is not one of them.
M DellaVedova commented 2014-10-27 13:03:36 -0400

It must have been a most terrifying situation. And the tragedy of a senseless loss of life is always traumatic. But I think it is important to take the necessary time to fully understand what actually happened and why. It is important to balance rights and freedoms with security concerns. We must not sacrifice the constitutional rights of Canadians. The roots of violence, I think, are most often poverty, mental illness, and marginalization. Let’s do something profound about these social issues. It will no doubt lead to a safer society.
Lydia Ross commented 2014-10-27 13:01:32 -0400

I was very distressed to learn of the events of the hit and run of Warrant Office Vincent near Montreal and the shooting of Cpl. Cirillo in Ottawa. Extremely hard on their families and on their fellow soldiers and service personnel. Overkill on the government’s part would be to strengthen laws that only serve to take away rights that are ingrained in the Canadian Constitution, which only proves the terrorists plan to make us afraid. I refuse to be afraid in my country or in the world because of the cowards who hide behind fanaticism and masks. If they were so proud of what they were doing why hide behind ski masks and their religion? The Conservatives are using this to push the American agenda and we have to stop them.
Jill Glessing commented 2014-10-27 12:57:25 -0400

Generally, I think the response to this incident should be to look at so called ‘root causes’: underfunding of health care (mental health care) and Canada’s aggressive foreign policy. Canada should take the approach of always doing positive things to help people, here and abroad, and prevent problems that way. Eg. People are dying of ebola, a preventable disease if countries hadn’t defunded the WHO; why is it okay for those victims of disease to die? Helping people in Middle East, rather than bombing them, would also help
David ogden commented 2014-10-27 12:54:19 -0400

Nothing we can do will bring back the life that was lost.However going forward we all need to be more aware of people and things around us.Encouraging a police state is not the answer,because we will never be able to afford to put a cop on every street corner.The real key here is to get back to family values and morality I believe that is where the true value of a society builds its keystone from.
Harry Paine commented 2014-10-27 12:52:22 -0400

I think there needs to be more work put into treating those who have mental illness rather than bigger and better police presence. There also needs to be less of a gap between rich and poor and a serious attempt to get rid of poverty in a country that is as rich as ours.