Members of Parliament held a moment of silence for the 15 people killed in Manitoba when a semi-truck and passenger bus collided on Highway 1 west of Winnipeg on Thursday.
MPs stood with their heads bowed shortly after question period had concluded, silencing the normally boisterous chamber for about one minute.
The crash occurred where the highway intersects with Highway 5 near Carberry. RCMP across the province were deployed to the scene, with STARS air ambulance services from Winnipeg and Regina attending, along with other first responders.
Police said the passenger bus was carrying 25 people, mostly from Dauphin, Man., and the surrounding communities, with the majority being seniors.
Authorities said a total of 10 people were sent to hospital, with the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg having called a code orange to prepare for an influx of patients.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was meeting with Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, also paid respects to those killed and said it brought back memories of other terrible incidents, such as the bus crash in Humboldt, Sask.
“I want to express all my deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of Carberry, Manitoba and the folks who have lost loved ones, who are living through moments of tremendous anguish right now,” he said. “I think of the people who are in hospital now, with injuries. I can’t imagine what these families are going through.”
He added all Canadians stood with those impacted, and that while there were lots of questions there were also “lots of tears.”
Trudeau said the flag at the top of the Peace Tower in Ottawa would be lowered to half-mast.
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