Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Toronto: Canada’s public safety minister says the country’s security and intelligence services are not aware of any direct, specific threat to Canada in wake of Friday’s bloody terror attacks in Paris, but lone-wolf and copycat attacks remain a top concern.
“From all the information we have gathered, there does not appear to be any reason to change the risk assessment for Canada,” Ralph Goodale told CTV News Saturday. “There does not appear to be any Canadian connection (to the Paris attackers), and there don’t appear to be any Canadian deaths.”
But Goodale says the prospect of single individuals mounting attacks in Canada, as two men did in separate attacks on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. in 2014, remains a serious concern.
“(Police and intelligence officials) are keeping a very careful eye to detect any indication of that kind of behaviour. So far, there is no indication that is happening, but we are obviously dealing with a very tragic situation and Canadians need to remain alert and vigilant.”
The RCMP said Saturday it is operating at a “heightened” state of vigilance in wake of the attack in Paris which left 129 people dead and more than 300 wounded.
But the minister said it is important that Canadians’ vigilance does not give way to unfounded suspicion driven by racism.
“At times like this when there are particular pressures that come to bear that could in some people’s minds be focused on a particular group, it’s really important that Canadians pull together,” Goodale said.
In a press release sent out Saturday night, the Islamic Foundation of Toronto says it rejects ISIS “and their claim to represent Islam.”
“Our community stands in solidarity with the people of France, the families, and friends who lost their near and dear ones to the insane and dastardly act.”
On the Liberals’ promise to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees, Goodale said the government is staying the course in wake of the Paris attacks, but also will not cut corners on security screening procedures to meet its self-imposed Jan. 1, 2016 deadline.
“The timeframe remains the same and the requirement about security checks remains the same.”
In Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, Conservative Party interim leader Rona Ambrose told reporters that her party wants the Liberals to reverse their pledge to bring Canadian fighter aircraft home from the air campaign against ISIS in Syria and Iraq in light of what occurred in Paris on Friday.
“I’m calling on the Liberal government to immediately change its position on withdrawing Canada’s CF-18s and related military assistance from Iraq and Syria,” Ambrose said. “Yesterday’s terror attacks make us even more resolute that we must continue the fight.”
In response, Goodale said Canadians knew of the Liberals’ promise to withdraw fighter jets when they elected them into office last month, and that Canada would still offer assistance of some form in the fight against ISIS.
“We’ve made the case that one of the things that Canada has the capacity to do, probably better than many of our coalition partners around the world, is to train local people in the ground activity that needs to take place.”
