Council divided over city hall security measures

New security checks for Ottawa city council meetings announced last week are stirringdebate: Are they necessary to keep elected officials safe, or will they stifle public participation in city business?

By council's next meetingin January,visitors, staff and councillorsthemselves willhave to pass through one of two security checkpointsas they enter the council chamberat Ottawa city hall.

Guards willscreenthe public's bags forbanned objects not just flammable material, sharp objects and guns, but also outside food and drink, noisemakers and signs or banners.

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The reaction on social media was swift, with regular council attendees questioning why signs should be prohibited, and why residents with health issues should go hours without food. (Exceptions will be made for councillors and members of the media, the city confirmed last week.)

Some councillors, including Shawn Menard, Catherine McKenney, Mathieu Fleury and Jeff Leiper said they felt the security measures gotoo far.

"My greatest concernis that we don't limit access by the public, we don't make it so difficult that people don't show up," McKenneysaid.

'Planning for the unknown'

Mayor Jim Watson said he finds the measuresreasonable, and said he's willing to trust the experts.

"I don't believe any of my colleagues are experts on security. I certainly am not," Watson said.

Parliament Hill, Queen's Park and council chambers in other cities all require screening of some sort, he pointed out.

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"You're planning for the unknown," Watson said."We didn't know that there was going to be a lunatic [who would] killa soldier atthe war monument and then shoot up the Hall of Honour at Parliament Hill," he said, referring to the death of Cpl.Nathan Cirillo in 2014.

"We have to take care of the people who visit city hall, and the people whowork there."

Ban on signs, food in city council chambers sparks debate

5 years ago

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Mayor Jim Watson says the new rules for Ottawa city council meetings are necessary for security reasons, while Coun. Mathieu Fleury says they encroach on the democratic process.

Death threat

Coun. Riley Brockingtontold CBChe's never faced an unsafe situation in the council chamber, but he did receive a death threat earlier this year, and had a security detail for several months in 2018 after a separate incident.

"I don't want this to become a police state. I do want it to be thepeople's place, with the understanding there will be some basic requirements when you enter the public gallery," he said.

The measuresstem from an audit into corporate security conducted in April.The city's auditor generalrecommended management review its guidelines for high-profile meetings, although he never specifically mentioned checkpoints outside the council chamber.

The City of Ottawa had previouslyinstalled bollardsoutside city hall, and posted more security guards outside the council chamber doors during meetings.