It is a country in shock.
But Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada remains undaunted after the fatal shooting of a soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday followed by a gun rampage in parliament by a reported convert to Islam.
“Canada will never be intimidated,” Harper said in a televised address to the nation late on Wednesday.
“In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts and those of our national security agencies to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe here at home.”
The violence in the capital came two days after a convert to Islam ran over two Canadian soldiers with his car, killing one, near Montreal.
Both attacks follow the country’s decision to send six jets to take part in air strikes against ISIL fighters who have taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.
Harper said Canada would now “redouble our efforts to work with our allies around the world and fight against the terrorist organisations who brutalise those in other countries with the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores”.
Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said Canada’s deployment to Iraq would go on unimpeded.
