Canadian Parliament security issues raised after Ottawa shooting

(Baonghean.vn) - On Wednesday, October 22, a series of criticisms broke out in Canada after an armed man opened fire outside the Parliament building in the capital city of Ottawa. A series of security questions were raised for the Government as well as the National Assembly of this country.

“While Prime Minister Stephen Harper was addressing the Electoral Commission, a gunshot rang out outside the door of the chamber,” Treasury Board President Tony Clement said Wednesday. Security officials said the shooter was killed shortly afterward, but not before killing a guard.

After the shooting in the capital Ottawa, a series of security questions were raised for the Canadian Parliament and Government. Photo: Fred Chartand

People are asking how the perpetrator was able to enter the Parliament building where an important meeting was taking place and kill a guard standing guard at the nearby war memorial. According to David Harris – a security consultant and former Canadian intelligence officer, Parliament Hill is “a symbol of the country” of Canada. This also means that this building will be the most carefully protected and most difficult to attack. However, this attack on the Parliament building is like a warning bell for the security issue not only of the Parliament but also of the whole country of Canada. After the shooting occurred, David Harris said: “It seems that there are not too many obstacles to enter the Parliament building area.”

The situation seems worse because the shooting happened just two days ago. On Monday, a Muslim man clashed with two soldiers near Montreal. On Tuesday, the Canadian government announced a nationwide anti-terror alert level. After the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US, most Western countries tightened security around government and parliamentary buildings. However, the Parliament building in Ottawa has long been considered a relatively easy place to access.

The issue of security around the Parliament building in Ottawa is not new. In 2012, a report by the Canadian Audit Office highlighted the laxity of security in this area. However, Christian Leuprecht, a security expert at the Royal Military College of Canada, said: “If you increase security around a target, terrorists will easily detect it and quickly target it. Instead of just thinking about increasing security forces, you should think about how to increase intelligence capabilities to prevent terrorist attacks.”

Chu Thanh– According to LeMonde October 23