'As a Canadian' trends spark anger, disbelief following Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting
Following the horrific shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, with 19 children dead and two adults teachers, Canadians have taken to social media to comments on the attack.
"No words can sufficiently express the devastation felt following the senseless tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Texas," a message from Marco Mendicino, Canada's Minister of Public Safety reads.
"Our hearts break for the innocent lives lost, for the survivors, their families, and the community in Uvalde. Canada grieves with you."
"Children deserve more than thoughts and prayers," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wrote on social media on Tuesday night.
"They deserve protection and safety. They deserve life. Like so many of you — I am heartbroken by the tragic news of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas."
As has seemed to be a pattern, particularly after horrendous attacks occur in the U.S., Canadians are seemingly quite quick to not only comment, but to compare their own country to our closest neighbour.
Not long after the shooting was reported the "As a Canadian" statements started rolling in online.
as a canadian, i’ll always have a hard time understanding how an 18 year old can purchase assault weapons unfettered in texas but the same 18 year old has to fight for reproductive rights and you call this freedom.
— Andrew Baback Boozary MD (@drandrewb) May 25, 2022
As a Canadian, I never understood America's obsession with guns.
An 18-year-old kid should not have easy access to assault rifles. Why isn't that basic common sense for American lawmakers?— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeegNFP) May 24, 2022
As a Canadian, I also don’t understand what guns have to do with freedom. https://t.co/O9yaW65lLE
— Trent Capelli 🇨🇦 (@TrentCapelli) May 22, 2022
Many Canadians also highlighted a recent tweet from Brampton Mayor and federal Conservative Party leadership candidate Patrick Brown (before the Texas shooting was reported), promoting his promise to scrap Canada's Firearms Act, stating that it is not "making our streets safer."
.@CPC_HQ leadership candidate espousing #GunLobby ideology, vows to dismantle 🇨🇦's entire gun control system & replace it with law that defends "rights of Canadians" (read: non-existing "gun rights") based on consultation with gun owners #Nothanks #ThisIsCanada #NoNRA #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/F4WTttgDoC
— PolySeSouvient / PolyRemembers (@Polysesouvient) May 24, 2022
As a Canadian I’m grateful we passed laws so an 18 year old can’t walk into a gun store, buy an automatic weapon, a high capacity magazine, and boxes of bullets.
Every week America reminds us that #GunControl saves lives and we need to be vigilant to keep it that way. #cdnpoli https://t.co/dqP0TJSl8x— Glen Canning (@GlenfordCanning) May 25, 2022
the only difference between Canadian and US republicans is their location https://t.co/F8b9CsFtCW
— prof of logic (U of Science) (@meh_just_a_guy) May 25, 2022
Hey @CPC_HQ how is this allowed to stay here with so many horrific mass shootings happening in the states in the last ten days. Shameful scare tactics. #GunControl https://t.co/7OaYCY7Uiq
— Jill Dupuis (@DupuisJill) May 25, 2022
Questions do continue to come up related to why Canadians are so quick to compare Canada with the U.S., and whether we should be looking at our own policies instead.
As a Canadian, I can not understand why an 18 years old boy who isn't old enough to drink legally can buy multiple assault weapons, but a 12 years old girl is forced to give birth to her own father's baby.
— Doris Roberge (@roberge007) May 25, 2022
if you're thinking about tweeting something that starts with "as a Canadian..." please, for the love of God, don't.
— Jenn Jefferys (@JennJefferys) May 25, 2022
"As a Canadian" is trending because children were murdered while in school in the US and we don't understand how it continues to happen there, but please go on and make it about you.
— Kiersten Tough (@KierstenTough) May 25, 2022
"As a Canadian" is trending.
I will say this over and over and over again: We are no better, as the same atrocities happen on these stolen lands, in its many different forms, till this DAY.— Pearl "#NewDeal4Animation" Low | 劉寶珠🧋 (they/them) (@Fumi_chun) May 25, 2022
as a canadian i think we should focus on the stuff that happens on our soil. indigenous children and women go missing everyday but you ignore it just to shit talk america? we have issues that need to be worked on to and we should focus on that before dwelling on america.
— toadie 3 (@toadie_art) May 25, 2022
