Today's Ottawa Attacks

[thatangela 134]

@LiliBurd, I think you just nailed it. Thanks.

[Dualie 185]

I work along side military veterans (a veteran myself) and veteran police officers at my job. We feel not only the shock and sadness at this terrorist attack on an honorable soldier, but also anger...a lot of anger. Terrorism is cowardice. This is how we feel. We did a lot of talking today. How do you fight an enemy who will recruit the weaker, the mentally ill, the young impressionable members of your population through the social media. We liken it to gang problems in big cities, only on a much larger and more dangerous scale. Our anger is borne of frustration of the unfairness of it all. The praying on the young and impressionable, and the outright slaughter of innocents by cowards who won't even show their faces in the name of a religion.

I won't go any further, I just wanted to share a little of what is being discussed at our workplace. I work at a large college. The fear factor is elevated. We strongly believe that this has changed Canada. The blame is not with the Prime Minister, or other politicians. The blame lies solely with the cowards who are perpetrating these heinous acts, and we, as Canadians, cannot let them use fear to cripple us.

I am going to cross the US border tomorrow, and I hope that things go smoothly like they always do, but if they don't, it won't be a bad thing. I truly expect tighter security on both sides. If that's what it takes to keep us safe, go to it guys...please.

Thanks for listening everyone. This really bothers me and my partners at work. We have lost a brother and it pisses us off. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

[Dagnon 1]

I crossed the border on Wednesday about 5pm and saw no heightened security or anything to that effect. That being said I travel through a relatively quiet crossing far from any large cities.

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

I hope Ottawa doesn't dismiss this incident - real, immediate change needs to happen. There should be a new Canadian Secret Service agency who's sole responsibility is VIP protection (the RCMP response was a joke, stuffing Harper in a closet - how embarrassing), there should be major overhauls of how Parliament deploys a security posture. Everyone should be armed if they are part of security, public tours at certain times should be cancelled, there should be a continuity of government plan for leaders and cabinet members with a much greater integration of military forces, immigration needs a major overhaul. It's simply too easy to immigrate to Canada and gain Citizenship, etc..

[Dualie 185]

I crossed the border on Wednesday about 5pm and saw no heightened security or anything to that effect. That being said I travel through a relatively quiet crossing far from any large cities.

I crossed Friday at 5PM, and it was one of the officers that I have encountered a few times. My file on their computer is probably quite telling, because he only asked me if I was bringing anything down to leave there. Now we will see on the return trip later today.

[Dualie 185]

I hope Ottawa doesn't dismiss this incident - real, immediate change needs to happen. There should be a new Canadian Secret Service agency who's sole responsibility is VIP protection (the RCMP response was a joke, stuffing Harper in a closet - how embarrassing), there should be major overhauls of how Parliament deploys a security posture. Everyone should be armed if they are part of security, public tours at certain times should be cancelled, there should be a continuity of government plan for leaders and cabinet members with a much greater integration of military forces, immigration needs a major overhaul. It's simply too easy to immigrate to Canada and gain Citizenship, etc..

big changes in protocols are probably in the works. Unfortunately, I have noticed that for all the security preparation the govt does, they are still way too reactive rather than proactive. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during those debriefings..

[moemac59 192]

I work in Toronto Tues-Thursday and commute from my little town in Western NY. I take GO transit into the city and after this happened on Wednesday they beefed security right up especially at Union Station. Big wait at customs coming back into the US on Thursday night but glad to see that they are being cautious. It makes me sad to see that this happened in Canada but unfortunately it was only a matter of time. Such a dark sad day for the country.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

People here in the USA just do not understand how this is such a tragedy for Canada. They sympathize but many I've spoken to take the Rosie O'Donnell route saying "it was two people!". Perhaps it's being in the south but there's a lack of sympathy. An acquaintance who did seem to get why this is such a tragedy was one who was a marine who had served overseas with Canadians. He seemed to get that it's not about the numbers dead as our innocence and safety have been compromised.

That being said I do feel that people who refer to the tragedy as "Canada's 9/11" are going a bit far. My Facebook feed was loaded with them.