Vancouver city hall has stepped up patrols by Vancouver Police officers and private security guards after Wednesday morning’s murder of a soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
An 11:33 a.m. email to staff from city manager Penny Ballem said there was “no indication of any threat posed to City of Vancouver staff or facilities,” but measures were being taken out of “an abundance of caution.”
The city’s corporate security department was “actively in contact with law enforcement and security professionals locally, provincially and nationally to ensure the safety and security of our employees and facilities,” Ballem wrote.
“In the short term you may notice enhanced uniformed security and VPD presence at City Hall. Additional contract security patrols have been implemented for various city facilities. Additional security will remain in place until the situation stabilizes.”
Riding offices of NDP Members of Parliament were closed across the country, according to Peipei Wang, constituency assistant to Vancouver Kingsway MP Don Davies.
“I’m still waiting for Don’s call whether we are going to reopen this afternoon,” said Wang.
Donald McDonald, constituency assistant for Liberal MP Joyce Murray, said the Vancouver Quadra riding office was open.
“We are here, but we’re taking precautions. We’re here mainly because it was happening the same time we were coming to work,” McDonald said before noon. “We haven’t left, we’re taking precautions here at our office. We’ve locked the door and put a sign, please knock, that’s the precaution we’ve taken. Joyce is still in lockdown in Ottawa.”
Police and security guards prevented Vancouver South Conservative MP Wai Young from getting to a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. She told the Courier she asked her constituency office staff to work from home for the day.
“When we are on high alert, and there have been other incidents, it's better to be safe,” Young said. “My concern for my staff comes paramount.”
A phone call to the office of Vancouver Centre Liberal MP Hedy Fry went to voice mail.
Military bases across the country were reportedly under lockdown. The Canadian Army’s Jericho Garrison and Canadian Navy’s HMCS Discovery are the two biggest installations in Vancouver. Lt. Paul Pendergast, media liaison for the Canadian Forces Joint Task Force Pacific, referred queries to Department of National Defence headquarters in Ottawa which was not immediately available for comment.
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