December 20, 2005

Prime Minister Paul Martin today issued the following statement regarding the shooting death of retired RCMP officer Mark Bourque in Haiti. Mr. Bourque and 24 other retired Canadian police officers went to Haiti in October 2005 as part the Canadian Special Elections Contingent to assist the UN Stabilization Mission (MINUSTAH) with providing security for the upcoming elections:

“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Mark Bourque, who was shot and killed while on duty by gunmen this morning in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Mr. Bourque was in Haiti as part of Canada's efforts to promote good governance and democracy, and his work there exemplified to the world the finest of Canada's values.

"Canada condemns this senseless act of violence. We are profoundly saddened by the loss of a fellow Canadian who served his country with distinction both at home and abroad. He died while serving his country, and he will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he touched and helped make better.”