MLAs hold moment of silence
P.E.I.’s legislative assembly passes motion of condolence, holds moment of silence for bus crash victims
Members of P.E.I.’s legislative assembly held a moment of silence in the house Tuesday in honour of the 15 people who died in a bus crash in Saskatchewan Friday.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan tabled a motion of condolence, seconded by Opposition Leader James Aylward and Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker, in honour of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team.
MacLauchlan thanked Aylward and Bevan-Baker for taking the initiative on the motion and giving MLAs the opportunity to express the support and condolences of Islanders in the aftermath of the accident.
“It’s been evident over the past several days that that feeling of loss and shock is shared here in Prince Edward Island and that Prince Edward Islanders, along with other Canadians, come together . . . in supporting, in feeling grief and in feeling our own vulnerability at the same time as we count our blessings,” he said.
An investigation is underway into the crash between a bus that was carrying the team and a transport truck Friday that killed 15 people.
When Aylward rose in the house, he said it was difficult to find words to capture what many people in Canada were feeling.
“Tragedies like this test every part of our community,” he said.
Bevan-Baker also spoke to the motion, saying what happened was an unspeakable tragedy that deeply affected the whole country.
“Suddenly we get jolted by a horrifying reminder that life is fleeting and that life is temporary and those goodbyes we say each morning to our loved ones or our neighbours or our colleagues could be the final goodbye,” he said.
MLAs passed the motion unanimously followed by a moment of silence.