COPENHAGEN, 23 October 2014 – President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today issued the following statement regarding the shooting at the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa on Wednesday:

"I was shocked and saddened to learn of the shooting at the Canadian Parliament yesterday. On behalf of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I condemn this act in the strongest terms and extend my deep condolences to the families of the victims and all our friends and colleagues in Canada shaken by this senseless violence.

“Parliament is the most visible symbol of democracy and the shooting yesterday was also a symbolic act – an act of violent extremism striking at the heart of an open society. As the investigation unfolds, I trust that the Canadian authorities will exercise the utmost care in upholding individual rights while bringing to justice whoever is responsible for this heinous act.

“The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stands today with the Canadian people and behind Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s pledge to ‘redouble’ the country’s fight against violent extremists.”