Vet calls violence on Canadian soldiers ‘unthinkable’

A local veteran said it’s unthinkable that something like the two deadly attacks on soldiers in Ottawa on Wednesday and Quebec on Monday killed would ever happen in Canada.

Gary Renaud was based on Canadian soil and served on the executive of the Royal Canadian Legion in Prince Albert. “I guess that’s a new world, I guess.”

He can’t remember anything like this happening in the last 50 years. In the 1960s and 1970s, Renaud  was a captain with the cadet units in Prince Albert.

“Whenever a person puts on a uniform and [is] going to defend their country, you know, you’re aware of what may happen and we just hope and pray that nothing ever does happen in our homeland or any of the other places that we’re involved with.”

On Wednesday in Ottawa, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo died after a male shooter opened fire at the National War Memorial. Two gunshots hit the reservist from Hamilton, Ont. At least two other people were injured before the gunman was killed by a Parliamentary sergeant-at-arms after he entered the Centre Block of Parliament Hill.

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It was the second incident this week that killed a Canadian soldier on home soil. On Monday, a man hit two Canadian soldiers in Quebec. One soldier, Patrice Vincent, died from his injuries.  

Renaud doesn’t feel it’s the military that’s specifically being targeted in incidents such as these. He said he thinks it’s “noise” the perpetrators want to create to get into the news so they can get attention for their cause.

For now, Renaud hopes that this doesn’t happen anymore and all who may be involved in these incidents are caught.

“If it’s somebody with a cause or something like that, that cause be eradicated and the world won’t have to worry about that no more.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames