Canadians were left distraught last Wednesday, October 22, 2014 after an attack was made against Canada’s political leadership, resulting in the death of a Canadian war soldier.

At 7:00 a.m., Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, lost his life while guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

The incident has caused multiple media outlets to speculate as to the reasons behind the attack, with some labelling it as an isolated incident while others point to links with terrorism.

Rob Gordon, an SFU professor of criminology, says that his initial reaction to the attack was to believe that this “may have been linked to the hit-and-run that occurred in Quebec two days prior, and that it might be connected with the intention to bring terrorism to Canada.”

However due to recent reports, Gordon now believes that this “deranged individual” was probably not connected to an extremist group, as evidence suggests that he was a loner, appearing from nowhere, and who, within minutes of shooting a war soldier, tried to force his way into Parliament.

His choice of weaponry also suggests that he was poorly equipped for a potential terrorist attack.

“Had he not been shot and killed, we might have more answers to this individual’s actual motives for taking fire Wednesday morning,” said Gordon. “I doubt this man is linked to any extremist groups, and he is likely just a copycat killer; attempting to repeat Monday’s incident, which resulted in the death and injury of two other Canadian soldiers.”

He continued, “Terrorist attacks usually harbour subsequent threats and, at this point, we have not witnessed any.”

New intelligence reports also indicate that the shooter in Ontario, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, and Martin Couture-Rouleau, the driver in the fatal hit-and-run in Quebec, might have possessed similar character traits, but that there is no direct link between the two individuals or either incident.

“I doubt this man is linked to any extremist groups.”

Rob Gordon, SFU professor of criminology

Contrary to Gordon’s view, Andre Gerolymatos, an SFU professor of history and international security expert, believes that Zehaf-Bibeau was following directions from ISIS, and that this might be the first of many terrorist-like attacks against Canada.

“It is a mechanism to cause fear,” said Gerolymatos of the shooting. “Whether you kill one individual or hundreds, it causes the same effect — fear has been instilled upon the country and its government.”

Gordon noted that there were certain government actions that took place on Wednesday morning that would make the incident extremely well-timed if it was connected to terrorism.

For one, Stephen Harper was in the process of passing a security bill that would grant the Canadian Security Intelligence System (CSIS) more power to track and investigate potential terrorists. This bill was scheduled to be tabled Wednesday, but has been deferred for the time being, with government house leader, Peter Van Loan refusing to acknowledge when this bill will come to light.

Secondly, Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani woman, was being awarded honorary Canadian citizenship in Toronto, due her courageous efforts in trying to establish activism for young girls in her region of Pakistan and her resilience in the face of brutalization from the Taliban.

Whether or not Wednesday’s events symbolize a terrorist attack, both SFU experts agree that more security precautions and surveillance will be increased across the country.

Gordon said, “RCMP enforcement will be expected to be hyper-vigilant, in the off chance that something does happen again.”

“Fear has been instilled upon the country and its government.”

Andre Gerolymatos, SFU professor of history

Gerolymatos echoed these thoughts: “Politicians and legal enforcement will have tremendous pressure to make sure a tragedy like this doesn’t happen again — whether that be to increase levels of electronic security or take preventative detention measures; although this could prove difficult and upsetting to Canada’s legal system.”

Despite this, if Harper’s new security bill is passed, it might include measures to allow preventative detention — as long as these remain within the scope of the law.

Gordon added, “Although an abundance of caution is needed, police and government officials must strike a balance between conducting activities in a normal manner, while constructing a surveillance mechanism that will allow them to take dangerous perpetrators down.”

Construction crews have finally broken ground for the Trottier Observatory, a $4.4 million project on SFU’s Burnaby campus dedicated to engaging the community and its youth in science.

According to Howard Trottier, an SFU professor of physics whose brother and sister-in-law have provided the funding for the project, the observatory and its surroundings are meant to be a “focal point of campus life.”

The building is expected to be completed sometime in February or March 2015.

Trottier, who has worked in the physics department for over 20 years, has been an integral part of the observatory’s development and creation. However, this project is not one man’s work. The original proponents of the observatory imagined its opening alongside of Simon Fraser University back in the 1960s. The idea had bounced around between different professors and community members since then, before finally being set into motion over the past few years.

An integral part of the project expands outside the walls of the observatory itself, something many community members are not yet aware of. The observatory is being built in conjunction with the Science Courtyard, which is meant to benefit everyone in the SFU community and greater area.

The Science Courtyard will include a community table, with room for two more tables to be added later on. These tables will have room for groups of 20, ideal for hosting groups of friends — when weather permits — to enjoy the sights, and perhaps small classes who opt to learn outdoors from time to time.

The area will offer many other astronomy attractions besides the main telescope within the observatory, which will be nestled between the AQ and Strand Hall. There will be two eight-foot tall concrete barriers, creating a sort of tunnel reminiscent of ancient observatories, through which attendees can view the stars. There will be star charts for each of the four seasons on the inside of these barriers, with the smaller and fainter stars etched into its surface, and LED lights illuminating the larger and brighter stars.

There will also be a few smaller telescopes scattered around the site, which people can also use to see the star formations, as well as a sundial.

Another interesting architectural design for the space manifests in the long concrete bench that runs along the entire site, divided into six sections. Each division will put out a faint light representing the electromagnetic spectrum and six of the different elements, and will also be spaced to show the powers of 10. From the atom to the horizon of the atmosphere, the bench will also show the scales of important structures in the universe.

Trottier emphasized that the observatory will be open and inviting to all, within and without of the SFU community on Burnaby Mountain.

Science in Action, for example, is a school program for all young students in the area led by SFU professor of chemistry Sophie Lavieri. With this new observatory, SFU programs such as this will be able to branch out into the province, giving schools the opportunity to enter project contests and win the chance to control the observatory telescope, all virtually from within their own school walls.

For Trottier, the most important part of the observatory is that it will foster a personal connection between students and their universe. “If you’ve experienced science, you feel you are a part of it,” he concluded.

The grand opening of the SFU Trottier Observatory is slotted for sometime in May, but the goal is for the space to be functional as soon as it is completed early this spring.