Prime Minister Trudeau connects with families ahead of the 2017 attack anniversary in Quebec City, honoring the victims and their memories
Québec: So, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently met with the families of the six men who lost their lives in that tragic mosque shooting back in 2017. It was just days before the anniversary, making it even more poignant.
This all went down at the Centre culturel islamique du Québec, where Alexandre Bissonnette committed the horrific act on January 29, 2017. The mosque is planning some events to remember the tragedy this year.
Trudeau took the time to meet with the families in the mosque’s basement. He chatted with men, women, and kids, showing genuine care by placing his hand over his heart during some of the conversations.
He even mentioned wanting to catch up with them again when he wasn’t surrounded by a big group. It’s nice to see that personal touch, right?
Earlier that day, the local Muslim community and some government folks gathered at the Quebec City Armoury to honor the victims. It was a heartfelt event.
Mohamed Labidi, who leads the Centre culturel islamique du Québec, emphasized the importance of remembering those who were killed and the ignorance that led to such violence. He said it’s a duty to keep their memories alive.
After the shooting, a lot of Muslims left Quebec for Ontario, but Labidi noted that the tension in the community has eased quite a bit since then.
Quebec City’s Mayor, Bruno Marchand, spoke at the event, highlighting how community action and hope can help overcome loss and division. He really believes in feeding hope to honor those we’ve lost.
Amira Elghawaby, who’s Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, was also there. She pointed out that Canadian Muslims had been warning about the rising hate and Islamophobia for years, and that day in January 2017 was a nightmare come true.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on January 25, 2025.