Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo are shown in this undated combination photo. The Oct. 22 attack on Parliament Hill and targeted killing of soldiers Nathan Cirillo in Ottawa and Patrice Vincent in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., are the overwhelming choice as The Canadian Press News Story of the Year for 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ho

OTTAWA - The Oct. 22 attack on Parliament Hill and targeted killing of soldiers Nathan Cirillo in Ottawa and Patrice Vincent in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., are the overwhelming choice as The Canadian Press News Story of the Year for 2014. Some quotes from the country's editors and news directors who voted:

"The killing of two soldiers by homegrown radicals raises big-picture questions about how and why young men are attracted to these movements and what we as society should be doing to stop it." — Adrienne Tanner, deputy editor, The Vancouver Sun.

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"The foundations of our system were attacked." — Michel Lorrain, director general, Cogeco nouvelles 98.5 FM, Montreal.

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"A terror attack on our nation's capital is a no-brainer for our vote." — Heather Persson, editor, Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

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"The slayings of two Canadian soldiers and 'Canada joins combat mission in Iraq' are inextricably linked, in my opinion. We cannot make a decision to go to war without accepting there may be consequences, both short and long-term." — Margo Goodhand, editor, Edmonton Journal.

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"The attack on Nathan Cirillo suspended Parliament. His killing and that of Patrice Vincent heightened the respect held for the service of those in our Armed Forces and this brought home to Canadians that we are at threat of terror attacks in our own country." — Phil Andrews, managing editor, Guelph Mercury.

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"Years from now, we will remember what we were doing when we heard the reports of a gunman shooting in the halls of political power in this country. It's fair to say that Michael Zehaf Bibeau's actions forced Canadians to reconsider our security at home and question our place and actions in world affairs." — Brad Works, managing editor, Journal Pioneer in Summerside. P.E.I.

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"Until October 22nd, Canadians thought Parliament was immune to such an attack. That changed, and now there's a heightened sense that a terror attack could happen on Canadian soil." — Tim Kucharuk, senior news anchor, CKRW The RUSH in Whitehorse.

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"I would add to the attack in the Parliament, the attack in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu to make it 'news of the year.' One attack only would not have had the effect two attacks had in a few days." — Philippe Gohier, editor-in-chief, L'actualite, Montreal.

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"These attacks have marked the collective imagination of Canadians." — François Beaudoin, editor-in-chief of La Voix de l'Est, Granby, Que.

SOURCE: The Canadian Press

News from © The Canadian Press, 2014