Mr. Speaker, on Sunday evening, I gathered with tens of thousands of Torontonians to remember the victims of the April 23 van attack. Ten candles burned on stage during our vigil, one for each life cut short and for the families and friends left to mourn.
Toronto is not the first city to be hit by a tragedy like this, but this felt close to home, too close, just steps away from Don Valley West, claiming lives of people who have contributed to our community. It has shaken the people of my riding to their core.
Renuka Amarasingha is fondly remembered by students and staff at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, where she worked. Sohe Chung and Anne Marie D’Amico graduated from Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School just metres from my riding's boundary line.
The violence on Yonge Street, our main street where we shop, work, eat, and play, has touched all of us. However, Toronto is strong, inclusive, and caring. A legacy of the victims from last Monday will include a city united, and a city moving forward together with respect for all.