Ottawa police creating Parliament Hill unit following close calls with MPs

The Ottawa police are establishing a parliamentary unit in response to growing security concerns for MPs, according to a letter obtained by CBC News.

Liberal MP Pam Damoff was informed about the new Parliament District Detachment in a letter she received Wednesday from Sergeant-at-Arms Patrick McDonnell, in response to her request for more protection on Parliament Hill.

McDonnell also confirmed his office has worked with the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) to establish a secure perimeter around West Block, where MPs attend question period.

«We trust that this will allow you and your staff to travel to and from West Block without incident,» McDonnell wrote.

The letter also said the public no longer has access to the Parliamentary Precinct via the Bank and Wellington street entrances or the O'Connor staircase when the House is sitting.

The move comes after several high-profile altercations between anti-government demonstrators and MPs, who've reported being harassed, followed and assaulted just steps away from the House of Commons.

An incident involving Jagmeet Singh went viral last month after the NDP leader confronted protesters after someone accused him of being a «corrupted bastard.»

A few days later, Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed told CBC Radio's he was recently surrounded by a group of demonstrators, who yelled profanities at him, while he was leaving Parliament Hill. He said someone laid their hands on him and shoved him out of the way.

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Damoff, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs for consular affairs, wrote to McDonnell on Sept. 18 asking him to boost security.

«I feel unsafe, and I am worried that someone is going to be seriously injured,» Damoff wrote.

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