At least two city councillors are calling on the federal government to apologize for security delays on Canada Day.
Tight security left several visitors standing in line at RCMP checkpoints for as long as six hours just to access the Parliament Hill area. Many people never made it onto the Hill at all and missed the afternoon show.
Councillor Riley Brockington says several officials, including the Mayor and chief of police, agree that was a problem.
"I think if they just acknowledge it and apologize a lot of people will be able to move on," he says.
Councillor Diane Deans says she worries some visitors will have a bad impression of our city.
"There are lots of great reasons to come to Ottawa so hopefully we haven't turned people away from coming here in the future, but there are still lots of great things happening in the city this year."
Visitors were warned there would be delays to get through the security lines, but were told it would take about two hours. Lines moved much more quickly for the evening show, when visitors were waiting about an hour to get onto Parliament Hill. Officials attributed the unexpected delays to the arrival of Prince Charles and Camilla and flooding on the lawn of Parliament Hill.
