Auditors from Ottawa, Gatineau killed in Taliban blast
CBC News | Posted: January 18, 2014 8:48 PM | Last Updated: January 18, 2014
Peter McSheffrey of Ottawa and Martin Glazer of Gatineau, Que., died while auditing Canadian aid
The two Canadians killed in Friday’s Taliban attack on a Kabul restaurant were both senior auditors with a firm based in Gatineau, Que.
Peter McSheffrey, 49, of Ottawa and Martin Glazer of Gatineau were killed on Friday when a suicide bomber and two gunmen attacked La Taverna du Liban restaurant in Kabul.
Both worked at the financial services company Samson & Associates and were in Afghanistan on business.
In all, 21 people were killed in the restaurant attack, officials said Saturday, in the deadliest violence against foreign civilians in Afghanistan since the start of the war nearly 13 years ago.
Company president Pierre Samson said McSheffrey and Glazer had been in the country for less than a week, working with Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. They were due back in Canada next week.
McSheffrey was a consultant for Samson for less than a year, but he liked to travel, according to his brother Robert.
Victim of 'senseless violence,' brother says
Born in Montreal but raised in Ottawa, McSheffrey volunteered with SOS Children’s Villages Canada, serving as a treasurer on their board of directors.
“Peter was a beloved husband, father, brother and son. His family and friends are all grieving this tragic and shocking loss,” Robert said in a written statement.
"What makes this particularly difficult for the family is that Peter was a victim of senseless violence against innocent people. Peter loved to travel and was doing meaningful work.
“Our family thanks everyone for their good wishes during this difficult time and asks that everyone respect our privacy,” he wrote.
Martin Glazer was an avid mountain biker and cross-country skier who spent nine years with Samson & Associates. He was also a member of the Ottawa Mountain Biking Association.
His family released a statement late Saturday afternoon, saying Glazer was a "much loved son, brother and uncle."
"He took pride in the work that he did, contributing to Canada's efforts to bring about peace and security in Afghanistan by helping to ensure that development assistance money went to those it was intended to assist," the statement read.
"His commitment to his profession and bravery is demonstrated by his frequent business trips to the region."
Funeral arrangements have not been released for either victim.
The 21 victims also include the head of the International Monetary Fund in Afghanistan, three United Nations staff and a member of the European Police Mission in Afghanistan.