QU脡BEC - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has met with the families of six men who were killed at a Quebec City mosque, days before the anniversary of the 2017 attack.
Eight years ago, on Jan. 29, 2017, Alexandre Bissonnette killed six men at the Centre culturel islamique du Qu茅bec and this year the centre has planned several events to mark the tragedy.
Trudeau met in the basement of the mosque on Saturday evening with men, women and children whose relatives were victims of the slayings, pausing to speak with each of them individually and at times could be seen placing his hand over his heart.
He told one person that he hoped to meet with them again at a time when he wasn't travelling with a large group.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon Quebec City鈥檚 Muslim community, government officials and others gathered at the Quebec City Armoury to commemorate the victims.
Mohamed Labidi, president of the Centre culturel islamique du Qu茅bec, said it was important to remember those who were killed and injured as well as the ignorance that led to their killings.
鈥淚t's a duty to remember those who lost their lives in an unjust and intolerable way,鈥 he said in an interview Saturday, adding that the killings were the result of ignorance.
In the aftermath of the shooting over 50 Muslims left the province of Quebec for Ontario but the level of tension in the community has since decreased considerably, Labidi said.
Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand took to the stage during the event at the armoury, and spoke about overcoming hardship, loss and division through community action and optimism for the future.聽
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 feed hope I don鈥檛 think we honour what we鈥檝e lost,鈥 he said.
Amira Elghawaby, Canada鈥檚 Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, was also among those in attendance at the armoury event.
鈥湸荷辈 Muslims had been warning officials for years that the growing hate and islamophobia in our country posed a real danger to our safety and well-being,鈥 she said. 鈥淛an. 29 represented our worst nightmares come true.鈥
This report by 春色直播was first published Jan. 25, 2025.
