The proceedings of this day will go down in the annals of Canadian history as an absolute first. Ottawa central is in lock-down. The Parliamentary precinct was infiltrated by terrorists. A Canadian soldier on guard at the War Memorial in downtown Ottawa was shot four times in the chest. It is hoped that he will survive.

Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia News   A soldier has been shot at the Cenotaph in Ottawa on October 22, 2014.

A masked gunman wielding a rifle commandeered a car from a driver near Parliament and drove it directly onto the grounds. He was seen by witnesses to be wearing a distinct scarf with Arabic writing. Canada as a free and democratic society with no previous such attacks has what many other countries might consider lax security in the interests of making access to such public institutions as the House of Commons approachable to Canadians. Much will change now in the eventual wake of this atrocity.

Parliament Hill is in lockdown after the exchange of rapid-fire gunshots by security forces with what is considered to be a number of gunmen, their exact number unknown. The head of Parliamentary security is being credited with shooting and killing one of the gunmen who had entered the Centre Block and had been in the main hall. All Parliamentarians, including the Prime Minister, leaders of the Opposition, have been safely accounted for.

Public transit has been in emergency transition mode. Area schools are in lockdown, including the University of Ottawa. Area businesses have also responded to the emergency through lockdown. The Ottawa Police announced the closing of their offices to the public until the situation is concluded. The busiest commercial area in downtown Ottawa, the Rideau Centre, reports gun fire from within. Emergency security responders, including the RCMP warn people to clear out of the downtown area; at the very least take protective cover. It would appear that a shooting occurred from a rooftop in the area.

The situation is fluid; reports emerged that a suspected terrorist was seen attempting to flee to the 417 on a motorcycle. All of this following the ramming on Monday morning in Quebec of two Canadian Forces personnel, leading to the death of one, by a radicalized Muslim convert who was himself shot to death by Quebec police after a high-speed chase.

Ottawa and Canada have lost their 'innocence' as a place of secure, liberal haven from the vicious predations of the Islamist jihad. We have been undermined from within.