Jeremiah Toller/Arizona Republic

James Villeneuve shares his story at The Rebel Lounge on February 9, 2016.

KJZZ partners with the Arizona Republic to bring you the Arizona Storytellers series. We record the live events and share them with you on the radio. In Phoenix, the storytellers sometimes share stories about our community or the life events that have shaped them in general. Megan Finnerty is the creator of the series. 

When James Villeneuve was at the gym on Oct. 22, 2014, he saw a surprising CNN report from Ottawa. The report said a Canadian soldier was killed at the Canadian National War Memorial at Parliament Hill. The shooter then attempted to fire at the Canadian Prime Minister before being shot.

At the time, Villeneuve and his family were living in Los Angeles. As the Canadian Consul General, Villeneuve got a call from his security detail to get home as soon as possible. He told his story as part of the "Good Neighbors" storytelling event.

James Villeneuve is the Canadian Consul General covering Arizona, Nevada and Southern California.

The next storytelling event is March 31, 2016, at the South Mountain Community College's Performing Arts Center. 

→ Hear More Arizona Storytellers