The third anniversary of a terrorist attack on Canada’s Parliament Hill was marked Sunday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging Canadians to pay tribute to the soldier who was killed.
Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot to death while on duty at Canada’s National War Memorial. The attacker then entered the Parliament buildings – Canada’s seat of government – intent on killing others but was himself shot to death.
Just a couple of days prior to the Parliament Hill attack, another soldier died when a terrorist ran him down with a car in Quebec.
“On this solemn anniversary, I join Canadians across the country to remember and pay tribute to Corporal Cirillo and to Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who was killed two days earlier that year in a terrorist attack in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec,” Trudeau posted on his website. “We offer our deepest sympathies to their families and friends, and to all those affected by these attacks.”
Both the attackers were home-grown Daesh sympathizers who died in the attacks.
“These attacks were intended to instill fear and divide Canadians,” Trudeau said. “Instead, they only served to unite us.
“We emerged stronger than before, showing the world that our most cherished values, freedom, democracy, diversity and inclusion, will always triumph over fear and hatred.”
The prime minister also spoke Sunday at the National War Memorial where Cirillo was killed.
“As we mourn today the loss of these two members of the Canadian Armed Forces, I invite all Canadians to thank our courageous men and women in uniform – both here at home and abroad – who put their lives in harm’s way every day to defend our country and keep us safe,” Trudeau said.
