OTTAWA – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff issued the following statement upon learning of the earthquake in Chile earlier today:

“My condolences go out to the citizens of Chile following the serious earthquake that hit their country early this morning.

As we wait for more information on the extent of the losses and brace for any aftershocks, we stand ready to offer our support and assistance to help the people of Chile recover from this disaster.

We stand vigilantly with Chile and other coastal nations and communities who are on alert following warnings about the potential after-effects of the quake.

On behalf of the Liberal Party and our Parliamentary caucus, we offer our thoughts and prayers to the Chilean people, the Chilean-Canadian community, and all those with family and loved ones who may be affected by the quake.”