Honourable senators, I too rise with a heavy heart to honour the victims of yesterday’s horrific act of violence in my beautiful hometown of Toronto, and, in fact, on behalf of all independent senators.

As Senator Harder pointed out, it was a particularly beautiful day yesterday, bright and sunny, and the sidewalks were unusually busy. This senseless attack claimed the lives of 10 people and injured 15 others. I think about the quirks of fate — what if it had been a cold and icy day? Perhaps they would not have been on the sidewalk. But it was a warm and sunny day, and they were there, and so was a white van. The carnage in North York stretched more than a kilometre along Yonge south of Finch, lasting a full 26 minutes from the first alarm to the arrest of the suspect.

Their untimely death took the hopes and dreams of families, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons and friends. Their lives have forever been changed by this senseless act.

In the middle of this senseless tragedy, we can take some small comfort in noting how well our public institutions of emergency and care excelled in responding under a very stressful set of circumstances. The fire department, the paramedics, the Toronto police, in particular in the person of Constable Ken Lam, who successfully and fearlessly apprehended the perpetrator without taking him down. They are all to be commended as are the many regular citizens who were surrounding the carnage and who were offering help and commiserating with their fellow citizens.

Toronto is a strong and resilient city. We won’t let this tragedy break our spirit, but at this point today, we are grieving and I believe we need comfort. So when I need comfort, I turn to books, and perhaps these words from John Donne will help:

Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; because it tolls for thee.