Does Ideology Drive Government Response to Mass Casualty Tragedies?

First, the murder of 10 people and the injury of at least 18 others in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, Saskatchewan is abhorrent. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of everyone killed or injured.

Second, we’re perplexed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s response to this mass murder spree in our nation’s heartland. After promising federal government resources to the province, Trudeau slid into his standard response to any tragic event.

“I want to, of course, thank the first responders for all their work and to all those people touched by this tragedy. As a show of solidarity, all [flags on] federal buildings in Saskatchewan have been lowered and the peace tower flag has also been lowered to half mast.”[i]

Only then did Trudeau mention the families.

“My thoughts and those of all Canadians are with those who lost loved ones and those who’ve been injured.”

These comments are eerily similar to those he issued after a self-identified “incel” – involuntary celibate – drove his van down a series of crowded Toronto sidewalks in 2018, killing 11 and injuring another 15.

“It was with great sadness that I heard about the tragic and senseless attack that took place in Toronto this afternoon. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed, and my thoughts for a fast and full recovery to those injured. I thank the first responders at the scene who managed this extremely difficult situation with courage and professionalism.”[ii]

No talk of public policy changes to limit access to vehicles or knives.

No talk of how to deal effectively with groups that peddle hatred of others, like the “incel” movement that spawned the Toronto van killer.

No talk of parole reform after a man with a lifelong history of violence is given statutory release, then drops off the radar until he murders 10 and injures 18 others.

No discussion of how the government can do more to prevent such senseless tragedies from occurring in the first place.

Just bland condolences to family members and a half-hearted thanks to first responders.

Contrast his platitudes and inaction with Justin Trudeau’s conduct in the aftermath of the Nova Scotia mass murders.

Within days, he and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair demanded details of the weapons used by the killer from the RCMP Commissioner.

These details were key to new gun legislation they wanted to impose so they could regain the “Progressive” crown they lost to New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern in 2019.[iii]

The Nova Scotia mass murders gave them the political opportunity they needed to push their anti-gun agenda onto a grieving nation.

Twelve days after the Nova Scotia tragedy they announced the largest gun ban in Canadian history – effectively blaming millions of innocent Canadians for the actions of one deranged murderer who was almost certainly an RCMP agent running a major operation on the RCMP’s behalf.

So, we ask the question:

Does a government’s ideological foundation drive its response (or lack thereof) to mass murder events?

It’s an honest question to a perplexing issue.

Why does the tool used to commit such evil elicit vastly different responses from this Liberal government?

From our vantage point, it appears political ideology is the key driver of the government’s lack of response to mass casualty tragedies like the stabbing deaths in Saskatchewan this past weekend and the pedestrians murdered with an angry man with a rental van in Toronto, as well as the key driver of their over-response to the mass murder of 22 people in Nova Scotia solely because a firearm was used.

 

 

Sources:

[i] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrHkVFPnBlo

[ii] https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2018/04/23/statement-prime-minister-fatal-van-attack-toronto

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch_mosque_shootings