Ottawa police are establishing a parliamentary force in response to growing safety concerns for members of parliament, according to a letter obtained by CBC News.
Liberal MP Pam Damoff was informed of the new parliamentary district detachment in a letter she received from Sergeant Patrick McDonnell on Wednesday in response to a request for increased protection on Parliament Hill.
Mr McDonnell also confirmed that his office is working with the Parliamentary Protection Service (PPS) to establish a secure perimeter around the West Block, where MPs will be attending question period.
“We believe this will allow you and your staff to travel to and from West Block without incident,” McDonnell wrote.
The letter also said that while the House of Commons is in session, the public will no longer be able to access Parliament House through banks, the Wellington Street entrance or O’Connor Stairs..
The move came after several high-profile altercations between anti-government protesters and MPs who were reportedly harassed, followed and assaulted in the immediate vicinity of the House of Commons.
The incident involving Jagmeet Singh went viral last month after the NDP leader confronted protesters after he was accused of being a “corrupt bastard.”
A video posted on YouTube’s Canadian Free Living page shows two men chasing NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh inside Parliament House, and someone can be heard shouting “corrupt bastards.” In the video, Singh can be seen turning around and asking the two men who made the comment.
Days later, Liberal MP Taleb Noormohamed told CBC Radio. the house As he attempted to leave the Capitol recently, he was surrounded by a group of protesters who continued to shout profanities. He said someone put a hand on him and shoved him out of the way.
Funded by federal aid
On September 18, Mr. Damov, Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs, sent a letter to Mr. McDonnell requesting that security be strengthened.
“I feel in danger and am worried that someone will be seriously injured,” Damov wrote.
“The level of harassment against members of parliament and parliamentary staff has clearly increased and we do not believe our security can tolerate it.”
In his response, McDonnell said Ottawa Police have deployed officers to key locations around the Capitol within the last week during sit-in hours.

He said the first force of staff dedicated to the new parliamentary unit would begin operations in the coming weeks. McDonnell said the unit is being funded through federal financial aid, but declined to say how much.
CBC News has reached out to Ottawa Police for comment but has not received a response.
Mr McDonnell also said PPS’s presence had been increased by having officers on Wellington Street and O’Connor Stairs, which MPs use to access the West Block, to intervene if necessary.
PPS is responsible for security on Parliament Hill and the Houses of Parliament, located south of the Ottawa River and north of Wellington Street between the Rideau Canal and Kent Street. This includes buildings where senators and members of Congress work.
Members of Congress are not qualified as peace officers and cannot charge someone with a criminal offense. Instead, they rely on the Ottawa Police Service as a local jurisdiction service.
The RCMP is also involved in the protection of senior Canadian officials, such as the Prime Minister, Governor-General, internationally protected persons and ministers, based on threat assessments. However, the RCMP reports that the number of MPs seeking security has doubled in the past five years.