'There are no words': Laval daycare bus crash prompts outpouring of condolences on Parliament Hill
Condolences are pouring in on Parliament Hill after a Laval, Que., city bus crashed into a daycare on Wednesday morning, with federal politicians of all stripes expressing their sympathies with the families affected and gratitude to the first responders.
As of 5:15 p.m. ET, two children are dead and six others are in hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. According to police, the 51-year-old bus driver has been arrested and is facing first-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault charges.
"I can't imagine what the families of the kids who were killed and indeed the ones who were seriously injured are going through right now," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, appearing emotional on his way into the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, when news of the crash first broke, Trudeau expressed hope that "the kids are alright, or that they pull through and get well soon."
"I know there are no words for parents who have lost their children this way. All Canadians are grieving with them, and we'll do whatever we can to support them in horrific pain through the coming days and months and years of grief," said Trudeau.
Inside the House of Commons, MPs throughout the chamber rose and bowed their heads as a moment of silence was held on Wednesday afternoon.
Asking for compassion for Laval residents as more information about the cause of the crash emerges, and as those injured start to heal, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet rose in the House to express his condolences.
"The hearts of all parents in Quebec stopped today when they learned what happened in Laval," Blanchet said. "Our hearts go out to all parents, children and staff of the Garderie éducative Sainte-Rose. We thank the first responders, nursing staff, and all those who mobilized at this time to help but the little ones. Today the nation of Quebec is in mourning. Our hearts are with all those in the community of Laval."
Taking to social media to speak about what he called a "violent bus attack," Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he was "heartbroken."
"My heart goes out to the family members who lost loved ones and those injured in this tragedy. No parent should ever worry about the safety of their child," Poilievre said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called it a "horrific tragedy."
"I don't have the words to express how horrible it is, I just want to acknowledge the first responders and send my thoughts to the families of the victims," Singh told reporters in the House foyer.
"As a parent, as a mom, you can't imagine dropping your child off at daycare and having something like this happen. So I just wanted to express my condolences and of course to express my gratitude to those who responded so quickly on the frontlines to this horrible, horrible tragedy," said Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould on her way into question period.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said his thoughts go to the children, their families, and the daycare staff, speaking to how these facilities are supposed to be places where children can feel safe.
"This is obviously a very shocking and horrifying and traumatic moment," Mendicino said. "I do want to take a moment to thank local police for acting very, very quickly. They've apprehended the suspect and, and that is a good thing."
Directing questions about the investigation to local law enforcement, Mendicino said that as more is learned about what transpired, "it's important at this moment to offer whatever assistance that we can."
Mendicino said that he's reached out to his Liberal colleague Yves Robillard, whose Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Que., riding is where the crash took place, to offer "whatever support that we can."
Stopping briefly to speak to reporters, Robillard said that while there is limited information, what's transpired is "really terrible."
Laval-Les Iles, Que. Liberal MP Faycal El-Khoury said that he will do everything in his power to provide comfort and services to his constituents.
"We have to have their backs and we have to be present on the ground with them," he said.
"We find it terrible… it's a crazy event, and our thoughts are with the families," said Conservative MP for Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles, Que., Pierre Paul-Hus.
Conservative MP for Louis-Saint-Laurent, Que., Gerard Deltell, said that as a father the situation was "very tough," and that his thoughts and prayers are with those impacted.
With files from CTV News Montreal
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
Local Spotlight
Twin Alberta Ballet dancers retire after 15 years with company
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
Here's how one of Sask.'s largest power plants was knocked out for 73 days, and what it took to fix it
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.