Premier Philippe Couillard says terror attacks on Quebecers the act of cowards
Reminding Quebecers that they live on a small and troubled planet, Couillard said it’s time to think about the victims and the good they were trying to do on the world scene as humanitarians.
He named them all individually starting with Tahar Amer-Ouali of Laval, killed in Jakarta in Indonesia on Thursday. He then spoke of the other six murdered in Burkina Faso on Friday.
“Our compatriots were on foreign soil to spread hope,” Couillard said at a press conference in the lobby of his office. “Like all of us, they loved life. And as with all victims of terrorism, nothing can justify the cruel fate which took them.
“Faced with such odious acts, we feel powerless. We try to understand what is not explicable or justifiable. Nothing can explain such gratuitous acts of cowardice, nothing can explain blind violence, nothing can justify it either.
“This attack on them is also an attack on us all. We will never cave in the face of these terrorists. Never will we accept to compromise our values of freedom, democracy and tolerance.”
He said despite the horror, Quebec and Quebecers will continue to be present on the world scene including in countries which are members of the group of francophone nations.
“But we will do this without any illusions or by being naive or willing to compromise,” he said. “These acts reinforce our determination to combat barbarian acts with all our might, next to our allies.”
Couillard said he has mandated Quebec’s minister of international relations, Christine St-Pierre, to continue working with Quebec’s international partners in the battle against radicalization.
He announced the government has ordered the flag on the main tower of the National Assembly set to half mast.
“This flag is the symbol of our strength,” he said. “It unifies a people determined to continue living together, especially in difficult times.”
Speaking directly to the famlies of the victims, Couillard added: “I understand your pain. Today this pain is the pain of all Quebecers.”
The Quebec victims are Yves Carrier, his wife Gladys Chamberland, their adult son Charlelie Carrier and Yves’ adult daughter, Maude Carrier. The family members, along with the two other Quebecers who were killed — Louis Chabot and Suzanne Bernier — had been on a humanitarian mission in Burkina Faso.
They were among at least 28 people killed when terrorists linked to al-Qaida stormed a hotel and cafe in the African country’s capital of Ouagadougou late Friday.
All the other Quebec political leaders also condemned the attacks Monday.
Parti Québécois leader Pierre Karl Péladeau expressed his sympathy to the families.
“Quebec must continue to fight these attacks against our values of freedom and democracy,” he said in a statement.
Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault described it as a “black weekend” for all Quebec.
“Once again we need to unite in these difficult moments and not cave in to fear,” Legault said.
“Nothing can excuse what has happened,” added Québec solidaire MNA Françoise David.
Officials at a Quebec City area school board are struggling to deal with the deaths of the Quebecers in Burkina Faso. Four of the six were current or former employees of the board, which cancelled classes Monday for students at both Jean-de-Brebeuf and Cardinal Roy high schools.
Erick Parent, secretary-general of the Commission scolaire de la Capitale in Quebec City, told a news conference Monday that support was being offered to friends and colleagues of the victims.
While classes were cancelled, students were welcome to come to the schools if they wished to do so, Parent said. A dozen psychologists were also on hand to help staff deal with their grief.
“It’s a tragedy,” he said. “What we must do is support our employees, and also our students, who are affected by the hundreds through the teachers they’ve frequented in recent years.”
Yves Carrier was an assistant principal before his retirement and Bernier had been an administrator at two elementary schools before she retired.
Maude Carrier and Chabot were secondary school teachers.
