The sovereignty of Canada has come under attack yesterday in the most heinous and cowardly fashion. The fact remains that regardless of the perpetrators in the ghastly shootings at the Parliament, and the attack on the two soldiers prior to that, Canada needs to wake up.
The internal security structure of the nation needs to be revised, and the more important questions of “who are our enemies?”, and “why are they are within our nation?” must be reiterated over and over again.
Yesterday’s attack was not simply an arbitrary cold-blooded murder of a soldier right in front one of our nations’ war memorials. No, this was an aggression on our very way of life, our ideals, on the democratic process, and above all western civilization as a whole.
The gunman symbolically chose to violate one of the most important emblematic buildings in this country, in order to strike at the hearts of all Canadians, which why it is essential that all stay strong, support our government, regardless of political aspirations at this point, and realize that this was meant to break our spirits.
When one looks at the image of Nathan Cirillo fighting for his life under the war memorial, it is hard not to see that our enemies do not merely despise us, but they are jealous of our freedoms, our strength, and above all our sense of equality. It is these tenets which everyone one of us practices everyday that erks them. Unfortunately that means by even those who were born here.
Both men who killed Canadian servicemen in the past week were Canadian-born, yet somewhere along the path their delusions led them to perform unthinkable acts not only their fellow citizens, but those who give their livelihood to defend the nation.
The rise of extremism has finally become a reality on our soil, and it is time for an adequate response, yet still make it a Canadian one. We must therefore do the exact opposite of what these madmen wish upon us. We must keep strong, free, and realize that our nation, one of the most free in the world, is beyond this type of barbarism.
With more than 130 “Canadians” who have left the nation to fight alongside terror groups in the middle east, Canada needs again to review the way it deals with real threats, internally.
To those who keep mentioning that this was to be expected as Canada agreed to go to war a few weeks ago, there is one thing that must be said that cannot be understood by these individuals’ sense of entitlement: Canada went and is at war at its own cost against tyranny, despotism, and in hopes that it will free oppressed people. That in itself is enough said.
However much you might dislike Harper right now, the truth is that we as citizens must stand behind our government, our Prime Minister, especially in these grave times. Although only symbolically, as we have seen Justin and Harper have a short awkward hug today in Parliament, it absolutely important. We must send the right message. We are not moved by malice and inhumanity, rather by rationality and freedom.
In Harper’s own words “Canada will not be intimidated”.
We are once again amid a crisis where being Canadian requires solidarity, coherence, and respect, yet also a new much needed firmness. However early it might be, today I will wear my poppy on my coat with pride, and dignity.
