Mr. Speaker, as members of the Jewish community gathered at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day in Judaism, gunfire erupted outside their place of worship. Constable Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service was seriously wounded while defending the synagogue and members of the Jewish community gathered inside.
Every Canadian has the right to worship, gather with their community and practise their faith in peace and without fear. Anti-Semitism, hatred and violence have no place in Belleville or anywhere in this country, and significant action is urgently needed to end this hateful ideology.
I know the collective support of the House is with Constable Smith and his family, colleagues at the Belleville Police Service, members of the Sons of the Jacob congregation and the broader Jewish community, which has been shaken by this cowardly attack. I would also like to acknowledge my neighbour and colleague, the member for Bay of Quinte. In moments such as these, politics must give way to our shared responsibility to the people we represent.