NZ thanked for support after Canada attack Canada's PM Stephen Harper has thanked New Zealand for its support after the Ottawa terror attack. CANADIAN Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the world may be at risk for some time of terror attacks along the lines of that which happened on their own soil. HARPER, who is in New Zealand for a short visit on the way to the G20 summit in Australia, said New Zealanders had shown great solidarity with Canada after October's terror attack, where a man shot a security guard dead in Ottawa before shots erupted in the halls of Parliament. "I want ... thank the people of New Zealand for your kind words of support," he said. Our two countries may not be close neighbours but we are like family. Indeed, this country has always been an important partner and ally of Canada. Harper said he couldn't comment specifically on New Zealand, but much of the world was potentially at risk from Islamic extremists. "As you know, New Zealand and Canada are tight security partners and I think we all have the view that the Islamic State and the people it represents are genuinely a threat all around the world," he said. The type of attacks we had recently in Canada, ... while they're on a small scale because they're single individuals executing them, they're also very hard to protect and prevent. I think the problem's going to be with us for some time to come. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said there was a very deep and longstanding relationship with Canada. He thanked Canada for its unflinching support for New Zealand's successful campaign to get a seat on the United Nations Security Council. Key said their discussion points in Auckland today included ISIL, the G20 summit, the Ebola virus, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement currently being negotiated. Key said he also took a moment to admire the Canadian flag, created after an impassioned flag debate in the 1960s, and discussed his campaign to change the New Zealand flag.