The Ottawa Citizen has a better
map and timeline than the one I laid out above.
Some additional thoughts, now that we know security measures I
thought were already in place were, apparently, not at all:
-- It has been suggested that a security checkpoint with a physical barrier (a turnstile or somesuch) be installed at the doors. Derp. Of course. That's
much better than just locking them, like I was saying. Tourists already have security at their entrance. Put a similar checkpoint at the non-public entrance.
-- The entrance guards were unarmed. In fact, only 1/3 of Commons Security guards are allowed to carry weapons, and only 60% of them are qualified. Senate Security guards are unarmed, but that's changing. You know, maybe arm the bloody guards.
-- There are four agencies responsible for security on the Hill: Commons Security is responsible for the portion of the Parliament buildings used by the House of Commons, Senate Security likewise for the Senate portions, the RCMP for the grounds, and Ottawa Police for the nearby roads. Dumb. There should be a single, integrated security force, as the US has with the Capitol Police. I imagine the RCMP would continue to provide protective services to the PM and dignitaries the same way that the Secret Service does in the US, though.
-- Speaking of the RCMP protective detail, given that MPs apparently shoved the PM into a closet for 15 minutes, they need to sort their shit. The PM should have been
gone immediately, as initial reports suggested he was. The RCMP has already changed their protective procedures, which is good. But, come the hell on, guys. You'd think they would have gotten their act together after the
last incident. When the PM's wife is ready to brain a guy with a soapstone Inuit carving, or when MPs are fashioning improvised spears out of flagpoles, you've fucked up.
-- I'm still in favour of posting armed guards at the pedestrian entrances to the Hill. No barriers or security checkpoints, just watchful officers. They could have stopped this guy, or at least radioed ahead to inform Centre Block security personnel that he was coming. But I don't think restricting access to the grounds is necessary or desirable.
-- As to the War Memorial itself, the honour sentries are in a vulnerable position. Have police, military police, or military officers standing off to the side to watch out for them. Preferably armed with sidearms. I have no issue with soldiers or police having guns. Moreover, the sentries have no ammunition. Give them a loaded magazine to keep in a pocket. Easy enough for them to switch out the empty one in their rifles if they need to. Wouldn't have helped in this situation - the corporal was shot in the back, by surprise - but I have no objection to soldiers having bullets. Just, you know, not already in their rifles at all times. In case of incident. Don't want to accidentally shoot a tourist.
As to prevention:
-- The RCMP still don't know where this guy got his rifle. Not to politicize this (but I'm totally going to politicize this), but things would be a
lot easier for them if Canada had a long-gun registry. We had one... but then the Tories got rid of it. To pander to gun owners in the Conservative base. They're continuing to loosen gun regulations. We have a
handgun registry, and more stringent regulations on them than on long-guns. I don't think it's any surprise that the attacker used a long hunting weapon; those firearms are absolutely the easiest to obtain in Canada. Handguns, assault weapons, and "black guns" are heavily regulated. Good, I say. Had he had a semi-automatic weapon rather than a lever-action 30-30 rifle, he could have done much worse.
-- The attacker was a dual Libyan/Canadian citizen. He was in Ottawa seeking a
Libyan passport, not a Canadian one. He was denied. That's why he decided to shoot up Ottawa; he wanted to do some damage
somewhere, and couldn't get to Syria. Apparently the Libyan embassy notified the Canadian government that it had denied the attacker a passport. The question is whether they did so before or after the attacks. If before, the Canadian government fucked up. If after, it was the Libyan government that fucked up. Important to know.
-- Of course US media is abuzz with speculation as to whether the US/Canada border is safe. Whether security needs to be upped. Nonsense and tripe; the attacker had no passport. He could not enter the US at all. Current border security would have prevented him entering the US. Full-stop.
by Swift » Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:34 am 
