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Former MP and premier concerned about creeping terror in Canada

Ujjal Dosanjh: ‘That isn’t my view of Canada…. I’m concerned. I think we should all be concerned.’
ujjal dosanjh
Ujjal Dosanjh. File Photo

Early this morning Ujjal Dosanjh, the Liberal MP for Vancouver South from 2004 to 2011, learned of the Ottawa Parliament building shooting via a New York Times news alert on his Blackberry. Like many Canadians, he’s been glued to the TV ever since.

Details about the violence are still unfolding, but one Canadian soldier is dead, as is a suspected shooter.

Dosanjh, who was premier of B.C. from 2000 to 2001, immediately posted comments on Twitter expressing his outrage.

           Who are the bastards that r shooting @ottawa? #houseofcommons #parliament #terrorism #cdnpoli

“I used to be there at one point, so I felt very deeply about what happened this morning,” he told the Courier. “I’ve been actually focused on this [issue] for some time because I wrote about what was happening in Kobani [Syria] and I wrote a blog yesterday titled ‘Canada is Losing the Values War!’ So I’ve been reading and writing about all this and I feel pretty concerned that the House of Commons, the War Memorial — icons of what Canada is all about are attacked by at least a couple of gunmen wielding rifles and the like [these details are unconfirmed]. It’s not something we see in Canada.”

Dosanjh said he’s been worried about this type of violence since the Air India tragedy and Squamish Five.

“I was pretty involved in denouncing the Air India terrorism and that was home-grown terror too. I don’t know who these people are [in Ottawa] but we’ve had the Toronto 18, we’ve had other home-grown terrorists that have attempted to violently disrupt our lives. And, I’m very, very concerned about the long-term consequences about what’s happening today.”

Dosanjh said his reaction on social media was borne out of frustration that in our daily lives we don’t see what’s happening in Canada all around us.

“We were able to ignore the terror of Air India because it was happening in a smaller community and it wasn’t happening at the House of Commons. And I’ve always worried that [if] you allow these kinds of things [to] go unchecked, they will take over your life in frustrating fashion. I’m not suggesting there are terrorists in every nook and cranny of Canada, but the fact is we are breeding terrorists in this country. How we’re doing it, what’s happening, I think all of us need to pay attention — politicians and public leaders in particular.”

Dosanjh, who said he’d like to know more details about the Ottawa incident and who was involved, noted he immigrated to Canada in 1968 and after that he learned Canadian values while trying to make a living.

“My sense is the values that Canadians cherish generally speaking  — openness, freedom, democracy, being able to talk about  issues without worrying about being shot or killed — that we’re losing the battle on that in the sense that there are those among us in our midst that obviously don’t believe in that degree of acceptance and tolerance,” he said.

“I’m just happy to hear [my friends and colleagues in Ottawa] are safe. Not all of us are safe — we have lost a young soldier and there are other people I understand who have been injured and that’s just not acceptable. That wasn’t my view of Canada…. That isn’t my view of Canada…. I’m concerned. I think we should all be concerned. Not frightened, but concerned.”

The flag at Vancouver city hall is at half mast today. City manager Penny Ballem sent this email to staff after learning of the events in Ottawa: “In response to the events this morning in Ottawa, the City of Vancouver Corporate Security department is actively in contact with law enforcement and security professionals locally, provincially and nationally to ensure the safety and security of our employees and facilities. There is no indication of any threat posed to City of Vancouver staff or facilities. However, the events on Parliament Hill and in the City of Ottawa are unprecedented. Therefore we are taking an abundance of caution and have been in discussion with the VPD and Corporate Security and have taken additional security measures. In the short term you may notice enhanced uniformed security and VPD presence at City Hall. Additional contract security patrols have been implemented for various city facilities. Additional security will remain in place until the situation stabilizes.”

Ballem also asked that city staff remain vigilant and to contact corporate security if they observed anything suspicious or had any concerns.

Mayor Gregor Robertson released this statement: "Today's news from the nation's capital is shocking and tragic. Vancouver's thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ottawa and the family of the Canadian soldier whose life was lost today. I have spoken with Chief Jim Chu and Vancouver is taking every possible added precaution in light of these events. All Canadians owe tremendous thanks to Canada's first responders and our colleagues in Ottawa who are working hard to support those affected by these senseless acts of violence."