Former Ottawa police chief warns of safety risk if Wellington Street opens to vehicles
A former Ottawa police chief is calling for Wellington Street to be closed to vehicle access permanently, warning there is a "high risk for a catastrophic event" if vehicles can continue to access the road in front of Parliament Hill.
Sen. Vern White made the comment during an appearance at the House of Commons procedure and house affairs committee that is looking into expanding federal jurisdiction for security of the Parliamentary Precinct to include Wellington Street and Sparks Street.
White served as chief of the Ottawa Police Service from 2007 to 2012. The senator says while there has been many changes to the direct security on Parliament Hill, there has been “little or no change” to the security footprint on Wellington Street.
"The stark reality is that a blast like that what was seen in Oklahoma City, where over 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed and 168 people killed, could very well happen here, if we maintain a lax sense of security on Wellington Street and continue to allow vehicle access directly in front of precinct buildings and, as importantly, of Langevin Building," White said on Thursday.
White said while many will argue the 1995 explosion in Oklahoma City would only happen in the United States, the Toronto 18 terrorism case plotted a series of attacks against targets in southern Ontario.
"As long as vehicles have direct access to this location, we are at risk of large vehicles being used to deliver explosives, and as a result we are at high risk for a catastrophic event happening on Wellington Street."
White recommended closing Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill and Elgin Street on the western side of the National War Memorial to vehicles to increase security and reduce possible threats.
"The best method to immediately lessen the threat of such an event on Wellington Street is to remove all vehicle access from Wellington Street and the section of Elgin which moves along the side of Langevin, allowing for a buffer zone to be pushed south at least to Sparks and maybe beyond," White said.
"It would have an immediate impact and reduce the gravity of that threat."
White told the committee he spoke with Ottawa City Council in 2014 about closing Wellington Street to vehicle traffic following the shooting death of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial.
"I think it's a high-risk location and I think the fact that we continue to allow large vehicles to travel that route has been a problem for us," White said.
"It will alleviate some of that threat, and I think as long as we don't do that we have a continued risk in that location."
White appeared at the committee alongside former Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly, who agreed Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill should be closed to vehicles.
Sloly recommended MPs consider changes to the "physical environment" of the area to improve security in the Parliamentary Precinct.
"This might include boundary changes, closing roads to create a pedestrian mall, installing bollards and other barriers to limit vehicular access," Sloly said, calling it "crime prevention through environmental design."
The Ottawa Police Service is the police service of jurisdiction for the Parliamentary Precinct.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.