Security at Manitoba Legislature tightened after Ottawa shooting

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This article was published 22/10/2014 (4013 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Members of a Winnipeg Police Service tactical unit, armed with rifles, roamed the hallways of the Manitoba Legislative Building this morning to ensure everyone was safe, and police continue to maintain a heavy presence in the building this afternoon.

Security measures were stepped up at the building after the shootings at Parliament Hill. Several city police cars were parked near the building this afternoon. A black SUV with SWAT team members is also stationed near the front doors.

Meanwhile, provincial security vans patrol the loop around the building.

Inside the building, there are normally two security guards at the front desk. Now, security are also stationed at other doors that are accessed by staff with swipe cards.

Government staff and media personnel who work in the building have been asked to wear their security badges.

The government has only made a brief statement about the additional security.

“In light of the situation on Parliament Hill, additional precautionary measures are being taken at the provincial legislature. For operational security reasons we cannot provide further details,” a spokeswoman said this morning.

Earlier in the day, a driver of a small red pickup truck parked outside the front doors was quickly told to move the vehicle.

The shootings in Ottawa have not had an impact on air travel out of Winnipeg.

Felicia Wiltshire, spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Airports Authority, said inbound and outbound flights are proceeding normally.

She would not comment on any extra security measures that are being undertaken as a result of the shootings.

“I’m not going to discuss any details on it. But… (we want) our passengers to know that we are aware of the situation and we’re monitoring (it),” Wiltshire said.

“When anything like this happens we work with our security partners in making sure that everybody is safe,” she said. “Flights are going out and everything is running as normal for the passenger experience.”