Tory MP Rachael Thomas paid tribute to conservative American influencer Charlie Kirk in the House of Commons on the first day of Parliament’s fall sitting.
“Charlie Kirk was an outspoken advocate for faith, family, and freedom,” Thomas, the MP for Lethbridge, Alta., said on Sept. 15. “Many disagreed with him. Some were offended. Tragically, on Sept. 10, he was assassinated in an attempt to silence his voice.”
Kirk, founder and CEO of the conservative national student organization Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck on Sept. 10 while he was speaking at Utah Valley University, his first stop of a new speaking tour. He was later declared dead.
“As we grapple with our personal response to this, may we honour the honourable in our actions, may we fiercely defend the right of our opponents to speak freely, and may we join our hearts with Charlie’s family, his wife, Erika, and his two young children,” Thomas said. “Rest in peace, Charlie.”
As Thomas finished speaking, the Conservative MPs applauded and rose in support. While the Liberals didn’t join at first, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland was the first to stand and applaud, and was then joined by the other Liberal ministers and some other Liberal MPs.
Thomas called freedom of speech “the cornerstone of a free society,” noting that because of this freedom, sometimes people may hear ideas they disagree with or express views that others find offensive.
“This freedom can make us uncomfortable or even hurt, but silencing voices, whether for a moment or forever, is never the answer,” she said. “We must protect a society where people can hold beliefs and share opinions without fear of losing their jobs, being censored, or worse.”
Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to bring more young, conservative Christians into politics as effective influencers, and he was a confidant of President Donald Trump. The 31-year-old became prominent in part through his campus speaking tours.
According to FBI Director Kash Patel, the family of Kirk’s suspected killer said the suspect, Tyler Robinson, “subscribed to left-wing ideology.” Patel said there was a possible ideologically based motive behind the assassination.
In her tribute to Kirk, Thomas asked, “But when has political violence ever been the solution?”
“It destroys dialogue, it undermines democracy, and it breeds fear instead of understanding,” she added. “True progress comes from persuasion, not intimidation.”
Several Canadian political leaders of all stripes have condemned the assassination. In the evening of Sept. 10, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “appalled by the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
“There is no justification for political violence and every act of it threatens democracy,” Carney said in an X post.
Shortly after the shooting occurred, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said, “We must all strongly denounce the shooting of Charlie Kirk.”
“Political violence is NEVER justified,” Poilievre said in a Sept. 10 X post. “The attacker must be brought to justice. And free speech must be upheld.”
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
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