To be, or not to be scared
How do you feel after the two tragic events last week, which ended the lives of two Canadian soldiers? How do Canadians feel? What do we do now? How should we act? These are all questions that are whirling through our minds, spreading across social media platforms, and being asked around our dinner tables. Are we scared? Should we be?
…there was one casualty in a situation that could have easily and concluded more tragically.
Some now speak of Canada as though it has lost its innocence, that only now have we come to understand the realities of the world we live in. This isn’t so. Canada has a full history of dealing with horrifying events, terrible extremists, and terrifying situations.
Yes, we have been attacked, and yes, the treat is imminent, but should we feel defenseless? Should we feel unprotected?
Let’s recap the events that took place in Ottawa on Oct. 22, 2014. A radical man launched a surprise assault on an unsuspecting and unarmed man in uniform, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo; it was unavoidable. House of Commons Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers then neutralized the threat. All in, there was one casualty in a situation that could have easily and concluded more tragically. Authorities were methodical and efficient, and they ended the situation very quickly.
So is this what we can expect whenever terror strikes? Perhaps this is comforting. Canadian Special Forces (Joint Task Forces) are responsible for more internationally identified high-threat terrorist casualties than any other nation on earth, including the United States. Canada has had an anti-terrorist surveillance task force committed to monitoring suspicious activity nationwide for decades.
So is this enough? This question will surely be debated in the months following these tragic events. Is Canada doing enough to protect its people?
Canada is a nation that is committed to the fight against terrorism. Canada is also a country that is welcoming, fair, and just. Canadian values ensure freedom and equality; Canada is a model of progressive vision for the entire world.
Violent crime rates have consistently dropped nationwide since the 1960s, and have plummeted in recent years. Regardless of the nature of the threats against Canada by extremist groups like ISIS, Canada’s core values are what need to be emphasized now.
Chatter tossed around in the past few days echo calls for more security, consideration of carry-and-conceal policy, and aggressive racial and derogatory slurs toward innocent groups. Is this how Canadians will behave now? Is this our future?
Terrorism in Canada is horrible – it is horrible anywhere – but as a nation, and as a people, we have always been strong through terrifying events. We always band together with our allies in the fight against those terrors. Federal policy has resulted in a progressively peaceful and accepting nation. The democratic method is working, and the integrity of the values that we have built our country on should be our only concern. Let’s be Canadians, support one another, continue fighting for justice, and walk nobly into the future.