Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a powerful reflection on the fourth anniversary of the tragic killing of the Afzaal family, using the national Eid al-Adha celebration in Ottawa as a platform to confront the legacy of hate-fueled violence in Canada.
Speaking to a gathering hosted by the Muslim Association of Canada, Carney called the 2021 vehicle attack in London, Ontario, a “heinous act of terrorism” and urged Canadians never to forget the lives lost in what was one of the country’s most shocking hate crimes.
“We must never forget the Afzaal family, whose lives were taken in a senseless, hate-fueled act. This was terrorism, and it has no place in Canada,” he said, pausing to recognize the deep pain still felt by Muslim Canadians.
The attack, which claimed the lives of four members of the same family and left one survivor, resulted in a landmark 2023 conviction—four counts of first-degree murder, one of attempted murder, and terrorism charges, affirming the act as ideologically motivated violence.
Carney also reflected on the values central to Eid—community, sacrifice, and generosity—and noted that this year’s celebration is shadowed by global grief, including the conflict in Gaza. Moments before his speech, a small group of attendees chanted “Free Palestine,” voicing solidarity, though the prime minister’s remarks proceeded without interruption.
Carney reaffirmed his government’s commitment to fighting Islamophobia and protecting all communities, signaling that remembrance must be coupled with action to ensure such tragedies are never repeated.