I'm probably taking my whole seven minutes, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Commissioner Paulson, for being here today. I just want to say that we respect and recognize the independence of the RCMP and the ongoing investigation into this matter.
I have to tell you I almost need to take a breath after seeing that video and reading the transcript of what we just saw. It's rather disturbing.
I want to go back to the attacks against our Canadian Armed Forces in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and those on October 22 at the National War Memorial and right here in Parliament, which we witnessed.
These were not random attacks against an individual or a place of employment. These were attacks against our national security and our institutions of governance, so there's a clear difference here.
I'm glad that in your opening remarks you clearly indicated that it was a terrorist attack. I know you came out shortly after the incident had happened and said that it was a terrorist attack. You have reiterated that here.
For all the members here in committee today and for people who may be watching from home, I know you are very familiar with the Criminal Code. In your opening remarks, you referred to paragraph 83.01(1)(b) on the definition of terrorism, but I'd like to just read it for a moment:
(b) an act or omission, in or outside Canada, (i) that is committed (A) in whole or in part for a political, religious or ideological purpose, objective or cause, and (B) in whole or in part with the intention of intimidating the public, or a segment of the public, with regard to its security, including its economic security, or compelling a person, a government or a domestic or an international organization to do or to refrain from doing any act, whether the public or the person, government or organization is inside or outside Canada, and (ii) that intentionally (A) causes death or serious bodily harm to a person by the use of violence, (B) endangers a person’s life, (C) causes a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or any segment of the public.
According to the testimony you have provided, what we just witnessed through the video that you provided, and the transcript that I read, this was a barbaric killing of an unarmed Canadian soldier. It was an attack against the very thing that represents Canada—the Government of Canada—and clearly what we saw on that particular day falls into the definition of terrorism.
Could you confirm that the definition applies very clearly to what we witnessed here on October 22?