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    Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:

    All those opposed to the hon. minister's moving the motion will please say nay.

     There being no dissenting voice, it is agreed.

    The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

    I now invite all hon. members to stand to observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the tragic events in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

    [A moment of silence observed]

    Mr. Speaker, this morning, families in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, woke to a different world. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters began this day as their first day on earth without someone they love dearly. What happened has left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning. Nine people were killed, and more than 25 others were injured. Some are still in hospital fighting for their lives. The investigation is ongoing, and we must allow law enforcement the time and space to do its work accordingly.

    As the House knows, Tumbler Ridge is a community of some 2,400 people nestled in the foothills of the Rockies. It is one of the youngest towns in the great province of British Columbia. It was carved out of the wilderness in the 1980s, built on the promise of the resource economy and by the determination of its residents. It is a town of miners, teachers, construction workers and families who have built their lives there, people who have always shown up for each other there.

    When wildfires raged, neighbours helped each other pack up and move out of harm's way. They checked in on seniors and those living alone. They made sure that no one was left behind. When the coal mine shut down, residents supported local businesses. They shared leads for jobs and lifted each other up. Tumbler Ridge represents the very best of Canada, as it is resilient, compassionate and strong.

     Yesterday morning, parents from Tumbler Ridge sent their children to school. Many will never hold them again. Young people and their teachers have witnessed an unimaginable cruelty.

    I want each of them to know: your country is with you. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my prayers to the victims, to their families, their friends, to all those who were injured, and to everyone whose life was changed irreversibly yesterday.

    I want to express my profound gratitude to the first responders, to the RCMP officers who immediately entered that school not knowing what awaited them, to the paramedics and medical staff at the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre and to the teachers and school staff who acted with extraordinary courage to protect the children in their care. In the darkest of moments, they showed the best of our country.

    I have spoken with Premier Eby to express my condolences and those of the Government of Canada. The Minister of Public Safety has been coordinating the federal response and is en route to Tumbler Ridge with the premier and the housing minister. The MP for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies is already there.

    Our officials are in close contact with their provincial and local counterparts to ensure the community receives every support we can provide now and in the weeks and months ahead.

    We have been here before: École Polytechnique in Montreal; the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City; La Loche, Saskatchewan; Humboldt, Saskatchewan; and Portapique, Nova Scotia.

    Each time, it breaks us open. Each time, Canadians show who we are.

     In the days ahead, there will be important questions to ask and difficult conversations to have. We owe that to the victims and their families. Now, however, it is time for grieving and remembrance. Now is for the people of Tumbler Ridge and the Peace River region, for a community that is enduring the unimaginable.

    A few moments ago, we held a moment of silence for the families and the community who are grieving. For many of them today, the silence is loud.

    We may never fully reconcile with the horrific, senseless violence that ripped through Tumbler Ridge yesterday, but we can find comfort in each other. We can look after each other.

    To those families who have lost loved ones, the House mourns with you.

    To those who are recovering from injuries, the House prays for you.

    To the students, the teachers and the parents, to every resident of Tumbler Ridge, all of Canada stands with you.

    May the memories of those lost be a blessing. May this community, which has shown its resilience so many times before, once again find the strength to heal. May this House prove worthy of what Tumbler Ridge has always been by striving to make Canada a better, kinder and safer place.

     Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister for his eloquent words, which I am sure are words he never wanted to deliver on the floor of this chamber.

    As fathers, we both know the feeling of sending our kids to school, hoping they will play and perform, laugh and learn, but most of all, come home to us and our loving arms at night. Sure, there is the odd skinned knee or sore belly when they get back, but that is usually the worst of our concerns.

     Yesterday, as we were tucking our kids in, I got a terrible phone call from the member of Parliament who represents Tumbler Ridge, telling me that a shooting had occurred and though the details were not yet well known, it was going to be bad. Those details have come in.

    Children who should have been thinking about homework and hockey were instead thrown into terror, grief and unbearable uncertainty. Nine lives were stolen, 25 injured, nine families devastated, an entire community in grief. That community is the best of Canada, a community of miners and loggers, hard-working people, hearty, strong, the kind of people who fight their own battles but never hesitate to help a neighbour in need. They are the backbone of this nation.

    Behind every number is a name, a child, a friend, a teacher, a neighbour, a family member, each with a story, for as the rabbi said, each life is its own universe.

    As a father, I can only imagine the phone call or visit that brought the news, the panic, the helplessness and the heartache that followed. No parent should ever have to fear that their child will not return home from school. No parent should ever bury their own child.

    To the families who have lost loved ones, there are no words that can comfort or verses that can console. All we have are the words of all members of this House that we are with you, and that in the memories you carry of your loved ones, they will live on in this world even after they have passed into the next one.

    To the young people who were in that school, I have had indirect accounts shared with me and I cannot even imagine what you witnessed or the horrors to which you have borne witness. I cannot comfort you or heal those wounds, other than to say that the whole nation wraps its arms around you.

    To the people of Tumbler Ridge, Canadians across the land are thinking of you. The world is thinking of you. We know that in your small, tight-knit community, grief spreads across families, workplaces, churches and friend groups. Know that all of us stand with you.

    To the courageous police, paramedics, firefighters and other first responders, to the staff who risked their lives to save their kids, thank you for your incredible courage. All of us owe you a permanent debt of gratitude.

    To the pastors, the priests, the clergy and the medical and mental health professionals whose daunting task now is to bind up the wounds, may God be with you in your work.

     On behalf of the official opposition, as I told the Prime Minister moments ago, we will be with you, with the provincial leaders, with local government, and we will do everything we can to support this community through this hardship. We all stand together. There is no partisanship on this day, and that includes the work that we give in support of our emergency first responders, who will, of course, be traumatized but will be carrying out continued efforts on behalf of the community.

    To the RCMP, we will support you in your work as you gather up the facts, complete your investigation and, in good time, at the appropriate moment, make all the facts known to Canadians.

    We commit ourselves to being present for all those who have lost so much, long after the limelight is gone but while the grief remains. To those who suffer today, we offer you our prayers, and for all those who do pray, I ask you to share a prayer with the wonderful people of this amazing town.

    As the great psalm said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me [O Lord]”.

    Mr. Speaker, today, our thoughts are with the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where nine children have been killed and 25 others injured. Our thoughts are with the victims of this senseless and unspeakable violence at a high school.

    I will make an exception today so that I can speak directly to the families and to British Columbians who are not all fortunate enough to speak French.

    In the name of the Bloc Québécois and my own, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the families of the nine children whose lives were taken, to the 25 families waiting and hoping for good news about their wounded children, and to the entire community of Tumbler Ridge.

    On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, and I assume I can say this on behalf of the entire Quebec nation, I offer my condolences to the families of the nine victims and my solidarity to the families of the 25 injured, as well as to the entire Tumbler Ridge community.

    Our hearts go out to the grieving families. Our hearts go out to the parents who are experiencing the worst imaginable cruelty and the worst possible injustice. There is no way to prepare for the grief of having one's child torn away, leaving lives forever changed. Our hearts also go out to the parents who are holding their breath as they wait for news about their children in the hospital. Our hearts go out to those who will be torn between the relief of bringing their own child home alive and profound empathy for the families who will come home without one of their own. Our hearts go out to all the students of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, whose lives will be forever changed. Our hearts go out to the students who will always wonder why, always asking themselves, “Why us? Why them? Why not me? Why here? Why?” and who will never get an answer. Our hearts go out to all the residents who are dreading the moment when they learn the names of all the victims, knowing that in a community of barely 2,400 souls, they will inevitably be loved ones, grandchildren, neighbours and friends. An entire village is losing some of its children.

    I want to thank law enforcement, health care workers, support staff and everyone deployed to Tumbler Ridge today to assist the children and the community. I want to thank them for being there today, and I want to thank those who will be staying for quite some time, as they must, long after the flags flying at half-mast have been raised again and after life, one way or another, resumes its course.

    On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I also want to reach out to the government. If it needs anything at all to help the grieving families, it can count on our full co-operation. Quebec has never felt closer to British Columbia than it does today. The hearts of every Quebecker with a child in school today go out to British Columbia. Today, all Quebeckers are reminded of Polytechnique, of the women who were taken from us and of the raw pain that never goes away.

    Everyone is wondering today what kind of world we live in. So far, no motive has been identified. What motive could there be for picking up a gun and turning it on our children? Nothing can explain, much less justify, such an atrocity.

    I will close with a side note. Our hearts go out to Tumbler Ridge, of course, but they are also big enough to embrace another small community, Kitigan Zibi, and the Anishinabe nation that also lost two children today. Their lives were taken by their own father, who then took his own life. It is important to remind our brothers and sisters in the Anishinabe nation that they are not suffering alone, that the Quebec nation stands with them and that, of course, the Parliament of Canada stands with them as well.

    Today is a dark day. It will take courage, fellowship, solidarity, kindness and compassion to get through this ordeal. It will take some time, and it is going to take all of us to get through it.

    We will remember.

    Mr. Speaker, we solemnly gather today in the shadow of a heartbreaking tragedy that has shaken our country.

    Our nation is in mourning.

    Yesterday in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, nine innocent lives were senselessly taken and 25 people were injured in a horrific mass shooting. This violence unfolded at a school, a place meant to nurture and protect our children, deepening the shock and sorrow felt by all Canadians.

    Loved ones have been stolen, families have been shattered, and a small community will be changed forever. In a place where everyone knows one another, where neighbours are more like extended family, a loss like this reverberates through every home, every workplace and every gathering.

     To the families who are mourning: We grieve with you, we stand behind you and we hold you in our hearts. We know that no words can fill the void, but we hope that you feel the support of a nation that is behind you today, tomorrow and for all the challenging days ahead.

    We remember all of the victims not as numbers in a headline but as human beings whose lives were rich and meaningful. The light they brought into this world and the potential they carried can never be replaced and will never be forgotten.

    To the injured, we send our deepest thoughts of healing and strength.

    To the students, friends and teachers who suffered this assault, we are there for you.

    We express our profound gratitude to the educators who first faced this assault, the first responders who courageously rushed to the scene as it unfolded and to all the health care workers who are caring for the injured. Your humanity and professionalism in the face of trauma remind us of the quiet heroism you display in our communities every single day.

    We thank the many people of Tumbler Ridge and across the region who have rushed to offer support for one another in this heartbreaking moment. In times like these, the strength of a community is truly revealed.

    In the face of such senseless tragedy and pain, we feel anger, confusion and despair. We ask ourselves how such violence can happen in our communities in this country. These questions matter, and they deserve honest, thoughtful consideration. There will be a time to answer them, but that time is not today.

    Today is a day when we cherish the victims and care for their families. Today is a day when we collectively grieve, comfort and hold each other just a little more tightly. Today is a day when a nation comes together in solidarity and love.

    Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Prime Minister from the bottom of my heart for his thoughtful words. They were truly touching.

    I also thank the Leader of the Opposition for sharing thoughts that are very difficult to say out loud.

    It is hard for any one of us as parents to imagine what the community of Tumbler Ridge is going through.

    I would also like to thank the leader of the Bloc Québécois for saying something very important, namely that we stand together and are united at this time. I would also like to thank him for mentioning the tragedy that is unfolding today in the Anishinabe nation. Meegwetch.

    I would also like to thank the leader of the New Democratic Party, who, like me, is a member of Parliament from British Columbia.

    There are no words. Politicians will try to find words. I will try not to.

     I want to send my love to our dear friend, the member of Parliament for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies. This is the kind of thing none of us want to have happen in Canada, but it happened, and in a place like Tumbler Ridge, which is so small. Everyone knows everyone, and I know that the member of Parliament knows everyone. It is a time that our hearts are broken.

    We are not just a nation, we are a proud nation. We are also a family.

    We love each other.

    Today, our hearts are broken.

    I think of Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”, but that comfort may feel far, far away right now if you are in Tumbler Ridge. Know wherever you are that we are praying for the injured, for the 12-year-old little girl fighting for her life in hospital. We will be with you this day, yes, and whether we are believers or not, we are all one in the human family and we hold you all close. If there is ever any opportunity for us, as individual members of Parliament, to do anything to alleviate the pain, the suffering and the grief of the people of Tumbler Ridge, we are with you today.

    We always will be.

    Colleagues, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful expressions of support and love for the community of Tumbler Ridge.

    Today, in the House, we are united in our shock, sadness and thoughts for the community of Tumbler Ridge and the families and friends affected by this tragic violence.

     In this House, where we speak on behalf of all Canadians, we struggle to find the right words, because there are none. Nothing we say here today can change the events of yesterday. We can only hope that our words will, in some small way, lessen the burden of sorrow of those who have lost their loved ones.

    For them and for the community of Tumbler Ridge, life will never be the same.

    As members of Parliament, we understand the meaning of the word “community”. We see first-hand how strong communities can be in the face of tragedy. Today, as your words here attest, Canada stands as one united, powerful community in support of Tumbler Ridge.

    We recognize the bravery of the first responders who answered the call within minutes and acted with courage and compassion.

    We recognize the resilience of communities to come together in support and empathy.

     We recognize the quiet heroes who respond to their neighbours and friends with kindness, caring and strength this day and in the long days to come.

    For the people of Tumbler Ridge, we in this House are united and stand with you. Together in this House, we hold you in our hearts, and we will walk with you on your long journey of grief.

    Finally, I would like to draw members' attention to the book of condolences in the lobby, right outside the doors. I invite them to take a moment to send a message to the Tumbler Ridge families affected by this tragedy.

    The book will be available for signing until Tuesday, February 17, the final day that the flag will fly at half-mast. It will then be given to the community by the member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies.

    Lastly, as we leave the chamber today, let us commit to compassion for all those affected by the tragedy, to fellowship with all those whose hearts ache, and to support for the families, friends and community that suffer in this dark moment.

    It being 2:36 p.m., pursuant to order made earlier today, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

     (The House adjourned at 2:36 p.m.)