Trump supporters stormed the Capitol while legislators in the House and Senate began to debate certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Several Republicans in both chambers planned to challenge the results in certain states.
“There is an important electoral process going on in the United States and I think we all want it and we need it to take place in an appropriate and peaceful manner,” said Trudeau. “We certainly expect things to calm down.”
The prime minister said that Canada will watch closely. “I think American democratic institutions are strong and I hope everything will be back to normal soon,” he said when asked if he was confident President-elect Joe Biden would make a peaceful transition to power. “But we will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that Canadians are well served in our relationship with the United States, regardless of how things go.”
The Capitol complex was locked for hours as pro-Trump protesters passed the Capitol Police and entered a building normally protected by layers of security.
Canadian ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, said the embassy is closely monitoring the situation and that all employees are doing well. She tweeted an updated travel statement to the US that includes a warning about “demonstrations in Washington, DC”
The scenes, which included security drawing weapons in the Chamber of Deputies, also generated statements of concern and condemnation by the leaders of Britain and NATO.
Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne said that Canada “is deeply shocked” by the events. “The peaceful transition of power is fundamental to democracy – it must continue, and will continue”, he said on Twitter. “We are following developments closely and our thoughts are with the American people.”
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole called the siege of the Capitol “an amazing assault on freedom and democracy”.
“I am deeply saddened to see chaos taking over our greatest ally today,” he said on Twitter.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP blamed Trump directly for violence. Yves-François Blanchet, head of the Quebec bloc said in french that the welcoming majority of Americans will soon see that they are not served by Trump and his ideology.