Trudeau's leadership MIA during terror scare
Andrew Lawton
Terrorism threatens not only innocent lives, but also our collective sense of security.
It is for this reason that the death of failed terrorist Aaron Driver, 24, in Strathroy, Ont. last week hit Canadians so hard.
I was among the first three journalists at the scene of the police standoff in front of Driver’s southwestern Ontario house Wednesday — arriving just two hours after the explosion that injured a cab driver and left Driver dead (whether by his own bomb or by police shooting we don’t yet know.)
Though I had suspicions that the scene in Strathroy was connected to the RCMP’s vague press release regarding “credible information of a potential terrorist threat,” there was no official corroboration of this hunch.
In fact, there was no communication of any kind from authorities about the situation unfolding in the town of 12,000, which sits less than 37 kilometres west of London.
In Strathroy, neighbours wondered what was happening as tactical vehicles, bomb-defusing robots and police snipers remained in position until late into the evening—upwards of four hours after Driver was killed, we now know.
Apart from orders for those inside the security perimeter to remain in their homes and for those outside the perimeter to stay there, police said nothing.
Even as reports emerged that Driver, a known terrorist sympathizer, was involved and had been killed, it was unclear whether there was still an active public safety threat.
Fear outweighed confidence as Canadians had to rely on assumptions and media reports to piece together what was happening.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t even emerge from his extended vacation to assure Canadians he was monitoring the situation, let alone that the necessary resources were being devoted to maintaining public safety and order.
His itinerary has listed each day for the last three weeks as “personal,” which hasn’t changed in the days since.
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It is for this reason that the death of failed terrorist Aaron Driver, 24, in Strathroy, Ont. last week hit Canadians so hard.
I was among the first three journalists at the scene of the police standoff in front of Driver’s southwestern Ontario house Wednesday — arriving just two hours after the explosion that injured a cab driver and left Driver dead (whether by his own bomb or by police shooting we don’t yet know.)
Though I had suspicions that the scene in Strathroy was connected to the RCMP’s vague press release regarding “credible information of a potential terrorist threat,” there was no official corroboration of this hunch.
In fact, there was no communication of any kind from authorities about the situation unfolding in the town of 12,000, which sits less than 37 kilometres west of London.
In Strathroy, neighbours wondered what was happening as tactical vehicles, bomb-defusing robots and police snipers remained in position until late into the evening—upwards of four hours after Driver was killed, we now know.
Apart from orders for those inside the security perimeter to remain in their homes and for those outside the perimeter to stay there, police said nothing.
Even as reports emerged that Driver, a known terrorist sympathizer, was involved and had been killed, it was unclear whether there was still an active public safety threat.
Fear outweighed confidence as Canadians had to rely on assumptions and media reports to piece together what was happening.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t even emerge from his extended vacation to assure Canadians he was monitoring the situation, let alone that the necessary resources were being devoted to maintaining public safety and order.
His itinerary has listed each day for the last three weeks as “personal,” which hasn’t changed in the days since.
CLICK TO READ MORE
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