Parliament Hill security incidents few and tame before Oct. 22 shooting

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Parliament Hill security incidents few and tame before Oct. 22 shooting

A nonsense letter. A wayward cube van. A threatening voicemail. A tractor with the key left in the ignition.

These were the infrequent and minor incidents recorded by the RCMP's parliamentary detachment as threats to the security of VIPs during the two years leading up to the tragic shooting on Oct. 22.

Through the Access to Information Act, CBC News obtained a dozen "occurrence reports" documenting these relatively tame security challenges on Parliament Hill — tame, that is, until gunfire erupted inside the Centre Block last fall, putting the prime minister and many MPs in real and imminent danger.

The mundane incidents in the months leading to the tragedy provide context to last fall's attack in which a lone gunman surprised RCMP officers as he ran, drove and darted up steps with a loaded rifle in hand.

Since the traumatic episode, the Harper government has warned of future threats in the capital and across Canada, and introduced legislation to give security agencies more power.

Cube van goes wrong way

Here's a typical VIP security incident, recorded by the RCMP on Oct. 16, just six days before the Oct. 22 attack:

"While at the South Drive exit, a cube van drove onto Parliament Hill and stopped as the driver made eye contact with Cst. Tagak. The driver wasn't aware this was strictly an exit and promptly backed out ... and drove to the proper entrance."

Another incident, on May 14 last year, involved a complaint from a House of Commons security officer "advising that a nonsensical letter (email) was forwarded to the prime minister and various ministers."

That same month, House of Commons security reported a threatening voicemail had been left for a cabinet minister, whose identity has been removed from the document, though the RCMP concluded there was no threat.

Altogether there were just 12 threat-to-VIP incidents in 2013 and 2014, according to the RCMP release package.



...more evidence to support draconian bills here....


http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/politics/p...few-and-tame-before-oct-22-shooting-1.2980157
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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454
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What draconian bills?



http://www.thestarphoenix.com/touch/story.html?id=10862209