Heroism in Canada

October 29, 2014 - Jill Lepore 10/29/2014 Views: 46,169

Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers displays astounding courage when a lone gunman opens fire in Canada's parliament building. (4:31)

>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SIT DOWN.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS JOBIS I'M LEARNING SOMETHING NEW

ALL THE TIME.

FOR INSTANCE I JUST FOUND OUTCANADA HAS ITS OWN GOVERNMENT.

[LAUGHTER]EVEN MORE SHOCKING, IT IS NOT

LED BY WAYNE GRETZKY.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IGUESS.

LAST WEEK IN OTTAWA A LONE GUNMAN OPENED FIRE ON PARLIAMENT

HILL, KILLING A SOLDIER THENCONTINUING HIS SHOOTING SPREE

INSIDE THE BUILDING. A SHOCKINGATTACK AND ALL AMERICANS SHARE

IN OUR NEIGHBORS GRIEF OVERTHE SENSELESS TRAGEDY.

BUT AS HORRIFIC AS THIS INCIDENTWAS,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE IFIT HADN'T BEEN STOPPED BY THE

HOUSE OF COMMONSSERGEANT-AT-ARMS KEVIN VICKERS

SEEN HERE WITH HIS CEREMONIALGIANT BABY RATTLE.

[LAUGHTER]HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.

>> AFTER EXCHANGING GUNSHOTSWITH THE PARLIAMENTARY SECURITY

TEAM AT THE ENTRANCE OF CENTERBLOCK THAT'S RIGHT HERE, HE MADE

HIS WAY TO THE END OF THE HALLOF HONOR BESIDE THE LIBRARY

THESE DOORS TO THE RIGHT IS ASMALL ALCOVE PROTECTED BY THIS

PILLAR AND HE TUCKS HIMSELF INTHERE AND HIDES.

KEVIN VICKERS OFFICE IS RIGHTAROUND THE CORNER.

HE HEARS THE GUNSHOT.

HE GRABS A HIS SIDEARM, ANAUTOMATIC PISTOL.

HE EXITS HIS OFFICE AND HEIMMEDIATELY RUNS TOWARDS THE

PILLAR HERE.

BIBEAU IS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

THEY'RE LITERALLY AT ARM'SLENGTH JUST AROUND THE PILLAR.

THE SERGEANT OF ARMS COULDACTUALLY SEE THE BARREL OF THE

GUN STICKING OUT FROM BEHIND THEPILLAR. HE DOESN'T HESITATE.

KEVIN VICKERS TAKES HIS SIDE ARMAND DIVES AROUND THE PILLAR TO

THE GROUND.

WHILE HE'S IN THE AIR HE SPINS,TO LAND ON HIS BACK, FIRING UP,

HITTING BIBEAU AS HE HITS THEGROUND.

TO HELL WITH BRUCE WILLIS.

THIS GUY, OUR NEIGHBOR TO THENORTH JUST PUT THE EH IN

YIPPY-KAY-EH, MOTHER (BLEEP)

THE VERY NEXT DAY.

LISTEN TO THIS, THE VERY NEXTDAY VICKERS RETURNED TO WORK AND

PARLIAMENT TORE THE ROOF OFF.

[APPLAUSE]

[APPLAUSE]

LOOK AT THAT MAGNIFICENTBASTARD.

STOIC.

HUMBLE.

FOLKS, I HAVE NOT BEEN THISMOVED BY SOMETHING CANADIAN

SINCE THE RETURN OF DEGRASSI.

I CANNOT BELIEVE I'M SAYING THISBUT I WAS WRONG ABOUT CANADA.

I'VE SAID SOME AWFUL THINGSABOUT YOU OVER THE YEARS

I SAID YOU'RE NOTHING BUT MAPLESUCKING MOOSE HUMPERS

I'VE SAID YOU WERE A BUNCH OFBEAVER STROKING ICE HOLES.

BUT NOW I KNOW THAT YOU ARESTEELY-EYED SNOWBALLED JOHN WU

DIVING (BLEEP) KICKERS WHO NOTONLY TAKE OUT THE TRASH, BUT

ALSO THE RECYCLING

SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO DOSOMETHING, I'M GOING TO DO THE

MOST CANADIAN THING I CANIMAGINE AND SAY I AM SORRY.

NO, NO, NO.

I'M MORE THAN THAT.

I'M SORE-Y.

WHICH I KNOW IN YOUR LANGUAGEMEANS BOTH HELLO AND GOOD-BYE.

[LAUGHTER]AND TO MAKE AMENDS TO ALL

RESIDENT OF CANADIA FOREVERYTHING I EVER SAID I WILL

NOW SING YOUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.

[CROWD CHEERING]PLEASE RISE FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S

NATIONAL ANTHEM.

OH CANADA, OUR HOME AND NATIVELAND.

TRUE PATRIOT LOVE, IN ALL THYSON'S COMMAND, OH CANADA.

AND THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT.

THANK YOU CANADA. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.