Usually, the mayor鈥檚 report is the section of the 91原创 City Council proceedings reserved for local matters, but at Monday night鈥檚 meeting, mayor Ted Schaffer and the rest of council departed from the agenda to address the recent attacks in Edmonton and Las Vegas.
鈥淚 normally do not do this, but I know my council colleagues,鈥� Schaffer said.
鈥淲e had a discussion on what is happening around the world (before the meeting). On behalf of the council and the city of 91原创, I would like to give out condolences to those that were affected.鈥�
There are 鈥渋ssues out in the world鈥� that deserve comment because they have an impact locally, the mayor said.
On the weekend a man was arrested for running down and stabbing an Edmonton police officer outside a military appreciation night football game between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers then running down four pedestrians with a truck.
In Las Vegas, a lone gunman killed himself after opening fire on a country music concert from his hotel room, killing 59 people and wounding more than 500.
Three Canadians are known to be among the victims, .
On an evening when the 91原创 City council chamber was packed with more than 40 people filling seats in the audience, Schaffer noted that there were 鈥渕ore dead in Vegas than there are people in this room.鈥�
鈥淚ts a very scary world and we need to stick together,鈥� Schaffer said.
鈥淢y heart breaks,鈥� said Coun. Val van den Broek, who grew up in Edmonton and considers Las Vegas her 鈥渟econd home.鈥�
鈥淚t was a tragic, tragic incident that should have never happened,鈥� van den Broek said of the Vegas mass killing.
鈥淭o me, that鈥檚 a terrorist attack,鈥� van den Broek added.
Coun. Rudy Storteboom was one of several speakers to note that the incidents in Edmonton and Las Vegas are far from the only recent instances of violence directed against innocent people in the world.
鈥淚n local government, we鈥檙e not responsible for the world but we do have a responsibility to be aware of what鈥檚 happening in our world.鈥� Storteboom said.鈥�(It feels like) there are bigger and blacker headlines rolling over us all the time.鈥�
Storteboom said the latest news underlines the need to be prepared for 鈥渨hat might happen.鈥�
Coun. Paul Albrecht talked about the 鈥渧alue of family, the value of friends and the value of community鈥� during such times.
Coun. Jack Arnold expressed sympathy for the hundreds who were wounded, saying 鈥渨e just hope that all the ones in the hospital will get better.鈥�
Coun. Nathan Pachal, who has family in Edmonton, called the attack there and the Las Vegas shootings 鈥渞eally, really shocking.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a horrible time,鈥� Pachal said, but it is also a time for people to come together.
鈥淭here鈥檚 also people who love you, respect you and you have to hold on to that,鈥� Pachal said.
Coun. Gayle Martin was not present.
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