Our country was shocked and saddened by the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Canadians came together to listen and share their thoughts on the tragic events as the day unfolded.
There was high praise for security forces and the quick response to the tragedy.
While U.S. news station CNN reported Canadians as “terrified” those on Twitter responded Canadians are angry and saddened, but not terrified by the events.
Canadians were strengthened by our solidarity as a nation and by our history as a peaceful nation.
The nation quickly gathered in solidarity to remember Cpl. Nathan Cirillo as well as his family, and to praise the young man for his service to our country.
Locally the Legislature was quick to put extra security in place as part of the response to shootings in Ottawa.
In the wake of the Ottawa tragedy, B.C. Liberal house leader Mike de Jong said security staff have recommended installation of a security scanner for visitors, and he and NDP house leader Mike Farnworth have endorsed the plan.
In the legislature, Premier Christy Clark called for the tradition of open democracy to be maintained.
We know we will not wake up in the same peaceful country we woke up in on Wednesday, and we cannot deny the horror of what happened.
However, as NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said late Wednesday “We are shaken, but we will not waver.”