The Alberta Teachers’ Association

On behalf of Canada’s teachers, Emily Noble, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, sent a letter of sympathy to Jokela School, in Finland, site of a fatal shooting, November 8, 2007.

On behalf of over 220,000 teachers across Canada, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation would like to express its deepest sympathy to the friends and families of those who have lost dear ones in the November 8 gun rampage in Tuusula, Finland, which took the lives of seven students and a teacher, and left a dozen people injured.

It is unfortunate that many societies today, including here in Canada where we’ve lived through similar tragedies, are subjected to violence and denigration of this scale. Your tragedy has further strengthened our resolve to work with all education partners in the global community to ensure that all schools are safe and caring environments, regardless of their geographic locations.

Please convey our warmest thoughts of support and compassion to the teachers, students and families as they mourn over their losses and we sincerely hope they achieve their goal of recovery and healing in a collective environment of nurturing support and assistance.

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