Mr. Speaker, the people of Quebec City are still in shock after the horrible tragedy that happened on Halloween night this past Saturday. Seven innocent people were attacked with a sword by a man dressed in a medieval outfit.
Two of the victims died. François Duchesne was 56 years old and worked as the director of communications and marketing at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. According to friends, he enjoyed jogging and was a positive man who was active in the community. Suzanne Clermont was 61 years old and worked as a hairdresser. Her friends all described her as a ray of sunshine. These people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Barbaric acts are unpredictable and can happen anywhere: They are not restricted by city, border, language or belief.
I want to commend first responders for their excellent response: the Quebec City police force, security officers at the Port of Quebec, paramedics and every other medical professional. Quebec City remains one of the safest cities.
Today and always, our thoughts are with the victims, their families and their loved ones. We offer them our sincerest condolences.