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Regina residents described their shock when they heard the news about the deadliest shooting in U.S. history where 50 people were killed at a popular gay nightclub in Orlando.
“I’m shaking, not sure if you can tell, but I’m shaking because of all of it,” Lisa Phillipson said.
Phillipson is the contracts director with Queen City Pride.
“We’re not on an equal playing field yet, there’s still a lot of hatred out there, towards LGBTQI people etc.”
She said the shooting hate crime shows there’s a need for more public education.
“And the fact that this shows that reinforces the need that we need to have more activism and more parades and more marches,” Phillipson said.
READ MORE: Orlando shooting: A timeline of America’s deadliest mass shooting
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said there’s no immediate threat to Canada at this time.
He noted that when tragedies like this occur, security detail does increase.
“Everything is double checked and triple checked,” Goodale said.
“There is no immediate connection to Canada in any way.”
Goodale also expressed his condolences to the family, calling the shooting a ridiculous and sad brutality.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families who are suffering through an absolutely unspeakable and entirely tragic loss,” he said.
READ MORE: Saskatoon LGBTQ community & “shocked and appalled” by Orlando shootings
Ayhan Ozturk with the Intercultural Dialogue Institute also condemned the attack in Orlando, saying Islam respects all human life.
The religious group promotes respect and mutual understanding among all cultures and faith groups.
“It’s a very big sin for us,” Ayhan Ozturk said.
“We have to respect people’s life and we cannot touch innocent people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the LGBTQ community held a candlelight vigil at Q nightclub and bar Sunday night. Over 100 candles were laid out to represent those that were killed and injured.
The people who spoke talked about the importance of love in combating this type of hate crime.
Queen City Pride co-chair Jesse Ireland said he was disgusted when he heard about the news.
“This hits home. We stand strong as an entire LGBTQ community. We are all one family,” Ireland said.
“We want to stand here in solidarity and show our support and encourage people to make donations… to donate blood and do whatever you can to be in support of victims in Orlando.”
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