'Shocked and dismayed': Quebec leaders react to attack in Nice

Tributes, pledges of solidarity, and messages of grief are pouring infrom politicians worldwide following the attack that killed at least 84people in Nice, France.

• Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, France kills at least 84
• Canadian political leaders condemn attacks in France
• Montreal's French expatsreact to Nice attack

In Quebec, the province's elected officials were quick to sendmessages of supportto the French people.

Premier Philippe Couillard

Couillard, who is in Munich for a conference, issued a videostatement shortly after the attack.

"Europe wakes up in tragedy. Once again, France, a country that we're very close with, has been hit by a terrible act," he said in French.

"A senseless and terrible act hit Nice this morning. Verifications are underway, but we express our solidarity and grief throughout the day. We will work with our security forces. We'll remember how important it is that our democratic society continues to operate in an open way.We'll continue to work on links between other countries and nations, but more than anything, todaywe'll think of victims and their families, remember the solidarity that we have with the French people, fight terrorism and live even better in our society."

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre was celebrating Bastille Day with Montreal's French population at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts during the attack. He was the person who announced the news to the crowd.

"It was supposed to be a time to celebrate," he said to CBC Montreal's Daybreak on Friday morning.

Coderre, an avid Twitter user, has been retweeting information related to the attack since the news broke on Thursday evening.

He also took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the event.

"Solidarity with France and the people of Nice. It's not just Nicewho wasattacked it's all of us. Shocked and dismayed," he wrote in French.

Montreal city hall was also lit with the colours of the French flag.

Quebec City Mayor Rgis Labeaume

Labeaume reacted on Facebook this morning.

"On behalf of all Quebec citizens, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the inhabitants of Nice and the French people," he wrote."Rest assured that our thoughts are with you, as well asour unwavering support in this difficult period. Solidarity will overcome this destructive madness;we will not yield to fear."

CAQ leader Franois Legault

The leader of Quebec's Coalition Avenir Qubec, Franois Legault, thanked Coderre for lighting up Montreal's City Hall in tribute to France on Thursday night.

In a statement, he said the attack is "absolutely horrible."

"The holiday of July 14 celebrates the unity of the nation. It's an important symbol. It is an attack against all of France and against all democracies who share the values of liberty, equality and fraternity," he wrote in a statement.

"Today I want to send a strong message. ThatIslamic fundamentalism is our main enemy, the most important common enemy that democracies have experienced for decades. The threat is both internal and external. We must spare no effort to combat it and to eliminate it."

Police in Francehave not identified the attacker as an Islamic radical.

On Twitter, he said that he's "saddened and angered" by the Nice attack. "My thoughts are with the people of Nice and all of France," he wrote.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Trudeau, who is also the MP for Montreal-area riding Papineau, expressed his solidarity with France on Twitter as well.

Michalle Jean

Former governor general Michalle Jeanissued a statement on Friday.

Jean is currently serving as secretary-general of la Francophonie, an international organization that representscountries or regions where French is spoken.

"This heinous, barbaric act, is especially cowardly because it was directed against men, women andchildren who were celebrating on this special day for the French nation, celebrating French values which laFrancophonie fully supports,"she said in a statement.

"It's incomprehensible for the human conscience."