I think that comes from the fact that 2 such incidents have happened in the same week, immediately after ISIS sent out the word to its Canadian sympathizers that they should kill as many Canadians as they could. It's definitely related. I wish they wouldn't let the potential copycats out there get the impression that these terror tactics work, though. Focus on the victim and the heroes of the day, and the fact that we as a nation are still standing strong. The criminal shouldn't get so much air time.
Canadian soldier shot at war memorial in Ottawa and shots fired in Parliament Hill
- Thread starter Xelebes
- Start date
I think that comes from the fact that 2 such incidents have happened in the same week, immediately after ISIS sent out the word to its Canadian sympathizers that they should kill as many Canadians as they could. It's definitely related. I wish they wouldn't let the potential copycats out there get the impression that these terror tactics work, though. Focus on the victim and the heroes of the day, and the fact that we as a nation are still standing strong. The criminal shouldn't get so much air time.
We know bits and pieces about him, but I did notice that CNN was sharing way more info about the guy before the Canadian networks even said his name. The thing about Canadian media is, they don't tend to operate on the assumption that fear-mongering gets them better ratings. Our news broadcasts (at least the national ones) are generally delivered by a calm voice and a reliable face, giving just the verified facts and being careful to label any speculation as exactly that. I usually feel reassured while watching Canadian national news - US national news seems to breed tension and fear.
I work in a building that's about a block from where the soldier was killed. Yesterday we were in lockdown from 10 am to about 3:30 pm. It was a tense day for us.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of the young man who was killed while serving his country guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier in our nation's capital. I'm proud of how Canadians responded and that no one else was killed.
Thank you to our neighbours to the south for all your support during this difficult time. Now we have to move forward with strength and fortitude.
I'm working from home today but will probably head back downtown tomorrow.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of the young man who was killed while serving his country guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier in our nation's capital. I'm proud of how Canadians responded and that no one else was killed.
Thank you to our neighbours to the south for all your support during this difficult time. Now we have to move forward with strength and fortitude.
I'm working from home today but will probably head back downtown tomorrow.
Ouch.
My thoughts were certainly with you yesterday. That must have been a long 5 and a half hours.
I'm hoping ISIS really doesn't have that much pull in the West. Why anyone who has a choice would follow these twisted imbeciles is a question with no good answer.
Regardless why this nutjob has done what he's done, my heart goes out to all the people effected by this. It's a sad day for North America - not just Canada.
They do, unfortunately. I'm not sure about the guy in Ottawa (all we know is that he was a recent convert to Islam), but we know that the guy who killed a soldier in Quebec on Monday was an ISIS supporter who tried to leave Canada to join the fight in the Middle East and had his passport confiscated at the airport. There was nothing else the Canadian government could do to stop him - he hadn't done anything to be arrested for, but they knew where he was going and what he'd be doing there. They watched him for a while, tried to make sure he stayed out of trouble, but when he seemed to be calming down from his radicalization they had no choice but to let him roam free. Then ISIS sent out the call, and he stepped up. It wouldn't surprise anyone at all if the Ottawa guy was inspired by that to do what he did.
It's probably going to have to come down to a forcible confinement for anyone with terrorist ties. They can't let this kind of thing keep happening.
Last edited:
Ouch.
My thoughts were certainly with you yesterday. That must have been a long 5 and a half hours.
It was! At one point I had to use the washroom, which is outside the security doors, off the lobby. This was during a time when building management had told us to stay away from the windows and the roof. They thought there might suspects on the roof of one of the downtown buildings. I had a moment of real fear and apprehension about going to the bathroom in my own building. Irrational? Sure. But it happened just the same.
Very sad day for all of us in North America, for sure.
They had also seized the passport of the man who committed yesterday's act. There's a thought that the confiscation of their passports is pushing some of these Islamic converts to homeland violence out of frustration. They aren't able to travel to Middle East to fight, so they make a violent statement at home instead, and take innocent soldiers with them.
Military personnel here are being advised to stay out of uniform unless required for their official duties.
Wow. That's terrible.
I'd say that's a slippery slope, but that's more like the edge of a cliff. The day a society, out of fear, locks people up whose only crimes are knowing people who've committed crimes is the day ISIS can celebrate its greatest victory.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2006
- Messages
- 8,745
- Reaction score
- 3,096
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Website
- www.adriennekress.com
Watching that video was hard because from everything I have heard about the man he is a quiet hardworking decent moral person who had to do something truly terrible yesterday and kill someone. I can't imagine he went home and had a restful night last night. I am sure he appreciated the sentiment of the applause but I am sure it was a terribly complex moment for him. And for it to be filmed and recorded and all while he is trying to just do his regular job . . . it's a lot.
This is true. But it would have been impossible for Parliament to simply ignore his act of heroism yesterday, despite the fact it was part of his job. I feel for the man. He was put in an impossible situation yesterday and an awkward one today.
That said, Kevin Vickers is a hero in my eyes.
Liosse de Velishaf
Banned
He looked maybe a bit uncomfortable to me in the video. I can't imagine that applause for having shot someone is entirely enjoyable.
That was quite something.
I imagine he appreciates the acknowledgement, but I'll bet he wishes yesterday were just another day.
Here's the official statement from Kevin Vickers about the incident and the response in parliament.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2006
- Messages
- 8,745
- Reaction score
- 3,096
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Website
- www.adriennekress.com
Exactly. I don't think they could have done anything different, I just I guess tend to focus on the strangeness of situations, the emotional complexity. Looking at his eyes was so difficult, you could see how complicated this was for him.
At any rate right now my biggest fear is fear. Is people deciding we need to put the country on lockdown. That the lawn in front of parliament will be made out of bounds by a large fence. I hope that whatever new security measures get put in place because of this they are thoughtful and well reasoned.
At any rate right now my biggest fear is fear. Is people deciding we need to put the country on lockdown. That the lawn in front of parliament will be made out of bounds by a large fence. I hope that whatever new security measures get put in place because of this they are thoughtful and well reasoned.
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2014
- Messages
- 3,148
- Reaction score
- 2,805
- Location
- Under the table
- Website
- helfrich.ca
Aside from being a single father, apparently Cpl. Nathan Cirillo rescued dogs and loved animals. God. I'm just sickened over his killing.
Thank you Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers for preventing further loss of life.
Thank you Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers for preventing further loss of life.
This image has made me cry three times this morning already.
Oh man, I'm crying again...
I would imagine that his reaction came more from humility than anything else. His job at the moment is mostly ceremonial, but he worked as an RCMP officer for almost 3 decades and is currently in charge of the security force that protects the people who govern his country, so I'm sure that killing someone in the line of that duty is something he's always known he might have to do. He seemed genuinely touched at the recognition, but also some part of him probably felt undeserving of it - yes, he took the guy out by throwing himself into the open and firing 3 shots directly into the guy, but it was all just part of the job description.
I love that he doesn't seem to buy into the "hero" image, though. It's just so... Canadian.
I would imagine that his reaction came more from humility than anything else. His job at the moment is mostly ceremonial, but he worked as an RCMP officer for almost 3 decades and is currently in charge of the security force that protects the people who govern his country, so I'm sure that killing someone in the line of that duty is something he's always known he might have to do. He seemed genuinely touched at the recognition, but also some part of him probably felt undeserving of it - yes, he took the guy out by throwing himself into the open and firing 3 shots directly into the guy, but it was all just part of the job description.
I love that he doesn't seem to buy into the "hero" image, though. It's just so... Canadian.
He's also in charge of security at Parliament Hill. He might be feeling responsible for the security lapse that allowed an armed gunman to storm into Centre Block and get almost all the way into the library before he was taken down.
A tough couple of days indeed for a very good man.
I'm not sure I'd go that far - CSIS is watching 90 people that they know are connected to ISIS. It wouldn't surprise me if some "in time of war" law is drawn up saying that whatever information they have on these people is enough to sequester them somewhere. Right now they're just seizing passports, but that's putting Canadian civilians in danger because it simply angers these men and makes them lash out in any way they can. The government needs to untie their own hands just a bit. Not quite to the extent that they'd be setting up internment camps for everyone professing to be a Muslim, like some people seem to fear they'll do, but just enough to get those 90 people (88 now?) off the streets.
Aw, I hope he doesn't feel that way. The media keeps going on about a security lapse, but I don't understand that - surely the gunfire at the war memorial would have drawn away any security that was outside the building, and the security inside the building seemed quick to jump into action.
I agree.
In my experience, there is always a security presence on the grounds of Parliament Hill. Not at the War Memorial, however. With shots fired and a soldier down, security would have been distracted by their need to respond to that crisis.
It's like Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition skit. "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise, fear and surprise." No one expected this on a sunny Wednesday morning in late October.
Here's a link to a press conference that shows security camera footage of what happened as the shooter approached Parliament Hill and entered the Centre Block. It's pretty scary and chilling.
IMO, security handled the situation well. I don't know much (anything) about protocol but there were some brave individuals looking after us that morning.
IMO, security handled the situation well. I don't know much (anything) about protocol but there were some brave individuals looking after us that morning.
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2011
- Messages
- 23,128
- Reaction score
- 10,900
- Location
- Where faults collide
- Website
- doggedlywriting.blogspot.com