Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says he is confident in the security plans for Canada's 150th birthday.
"I do have great confidence in our police,' Watson told reporters on Sunday. "They obviously are working with all agencies to ensure the security of our residents and our many visitors who come to Parliament Hill but also throughout the city."
Watson says there will be a heightened police presence in Ottawa on July 1st, with Ottawa Police working in close collaboration with the RCMP, Parliamentary Precinct Service, other municipal police forces and the Ontario Provincial Police.
"When you see tragedy that took place in London, on the London Bridge, and Manchester, you begin to think could that happen here and sadly the answer is yes," the Mayor says. "We are a G7 capital but I have great confidence in our police to provide the necessary mechanisms to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors."
The terrorist attacks in London, England, come less than one month before hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on Ottawa for the annual July 1st ceremonies. Watson says he sees no reason to increase the threat level in the city ahead of that major event.
"It is always a wakeup call for us, in roles of leadership, that we have to be vigilant," the Mayor says. "In the world we live in, a simple knife and a motor vehicle can be the new weapon of choice for a terrorist or anyone else who wants to inflict harm."
