“The House of Representatives sends its strongest support to the Canadian people and to the government and Parliament.  While we are still seeking answers as to the motivation and intention of the attacks on Canadian forces and on the Parliament over the last two days, Prime Minister Harper and Speaker Scheer have and will continue to have friends and allies in the U.S. Congress who are prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with them against our common enemies and who are prepared to move forward in our aims to improve the quality of life and economic opportunities for both our countries. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen and injured, as well as the families and friends who endured uncertainty today while waiting to receive confirmation that their loved ones were safe.  The world is growing more complex and dangerous by the day, but we will not be intimidated by those who seek violence, repression, and fear.  Our common cause and fight – dignity and freedom for all – will always persevere, even during the darkest of times.”

My fellow Canadians: I’m speaking to you from a Parliament Hill just coming out of lockdown. I am deeply saddened by today’s events here in Ottawa and unreservedly condemn these brutal and heartless acts of violence. This attack in unforgivable, should any other perpetrators or co-conspirators exist, they must be caught and be punished to the full force of our laws.

I’ve extended an offer of full support to the government along with assistance members of our party can provide at this time. My thought and prayers, along with those of my colleagues, go out to the family and friends of the victims of today’s horrific shooting, including Cpl. Nathan Frank Cirillo, who was standing dutifully, guarding one of our nation’s most sacred monuments.

It was a cowardly act -- an unarmed man was murdered in cold blood at close range. Words cannot express the steep sadness we feel over his loss. To the brave women and men who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter and help keep us safe, I can say only thank you. Thank you for your selfless courage and your professionalism in this time of crisis.

In the days that follow there will be questions, anger and perhaps confusion. This is natural, but we cannot let this get the better of us. Losing ourselves to fear and speculation is the intention of those that commit these heinous acts. They mean to shake us. We will remain resolved. They want us to forget ourselves. Instead, we will remember. We will remember who we are.

We are a proud democracy, a welcoming and peaceful nation and a country of open arms and open hearts. We are a nation of fairness, of justice and the rule of law. We will not be intimidated into changing that. If anything, these are the values and principles to which we must hold on even tighter.

Our dedication to democracy and to the institutions we have built is the foundation of our society and a continued belief in both will guide us correctly into the future. Saying true to our values in a time of crisis will make us an example to the world.

Criminals cannot and will not dictate to us how we act as a nation, how we govern ourselves, or how we treat each other. They cannot and will not dictate our values and they do not get to decide how we use our shared public spaces.

Today, some speak of the loss of innocence in Canada. This is inaccurate. Canada is not and has never been innocent to the threats we face. And we know, as we have always known, that we are not immune. What is true is that we have never let those threats shape us and we have never bowed to those that mean to undermine our values and our way of life. We have remained Canadians and this is how we will carry on.

We will get answers to how and why this happened. They will be vital in preventing any future attack. And to our friends and fellow citizens in the Muslim community, Canadians know acts such as these committed in the name of Islam are an aberration of your faith. Mutual respect and admiration will help to prevent the influence of distorted ideological propaganda posing as religion.

We will walk forward together, not apart.

In the coming days we will be inundated with pictures and videos showing what happened today. But there is one that we should all remember: the picture in our minds of Canadians helping Canadians. That is who we truly are, and that is who we continue to be.

Goodnight. 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the nation following a shooting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa that left one member of the Canadian Forces dead. Here's an excerpt.

Over the course of the last couple of days we have lost service people due to cowardly acts of violence. No better time to start wearing the poppy and to remember those who have served and died for this country than right now! RIP Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, my family shares a prayer and a tear at this time for you, your family and all those who have served and do serve!Steve Fulton UEat 11:06 PM

Rex, I can think of nothing more noble, than average Canadian citizens rushing to aid a fallen soldier. This act demonstrated who we are and we will not run away, we run to HELP the fallen. Thoughts & Prayers CPL CirilloCalgary Dadat 10:57 PM

Thanks Rex for not naming this brute.J Riderat 10:45 PM

I agree with Rex DO NOT GIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT the shooter! ONLY HONOUR THE Sargent At Arms and the Coporal ONLY THOSE PHOTOS SHOULD BE SHOWN!KDOHERTYat 10:42 PM

Changing how we as a country and as a free nation go about our daily lives is excactly what the cowards want. Second guessing our level of security is not an effective response to these recent wannabe-terrorist events.Another with only 2 centsat 10:24 PM