Procedure and House Affairs committee  Times are changing in 2014, Mr. Christopherson. I was just over to Israel to attend an Israeli national police conference on these types of issues. It seems to me we always think there are one, two, three, or four services doing the Hill. In fact the Americans, for example, are finding that's the reality no matter where they are.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, I think Mr. Watters has covered it very well. It's taking trainers, who would normally be doing another function, off the floor to train our constables with the firearms. This has certainly impacted our operations and obviously increased the overtime until we get everybody trained up.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, since the events of October 22, we have prepared various options for our members. For example, several of them took leave so they could rest up properly. We also have administrative policies here, at the House of Commons, including the Employee Assistance Program. They have access to those, but I am convinced that our members are in good health.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Following Mr. Christopherson, we do have a whole series of advance meetings before each visit. For the House of Commons, in collaboration with our security partners, we do up what's called an ops order for every visit, which outlines step-by-step how the visit is to unfold.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Christopherson, I couldn't agree more with your comments about the importance of planning. I know that in our debriefing since this incident, in going forward we're going to redouble our efforts to make sure that parliamentary privilege is known everywhere and discussed throughout the planning process.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As Sergeant-at-Arms, my preference would be that such films that are critical to the—not the films themselves but the instruments that we have and the angles and all that, I would prefer to be able to give you that evidence or have a member of my team give it to you. It is a concern for me and for security.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think in particular for this question, I'll refer to Mr. McDonell because he met with the RCMP. He has been following this.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, I think it's important for everybody to know that in our whole security posture on the Hill, first and foremost the issue of parliamentary privilege, I'd like to reassure the member, is the pierre angulaire. That's the cornerstone of everything we do in security. To go to the member's question, I think it's important for members to know that each and every morning the RCMP, House of Commons security services, CSIS, and Ottawa city police have a conference call.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  The member of Parliament in question was originally walking southbound on the west side of the Bank Street extension. He came up to the general area of the main entrance into the lower drive. He walked pretty well all the way over to the east side of Bank Street, was directed back across the street by the RCMP member, and then was detained or stopped there until the motorcade passed.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Prior to each visit, usually several meetings take place. In particular, the big one that's anywhere from a month to a few weeks before is called the advance. It is at that advance meeting that all partners are together and go through everything from protocol to security. On the day of the event, and for the day of the event for the House of Commons for example, there's a comprehensive operational order that lays out exactly the itinerary of the visit.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm not sure if I've ever offered for our people to be there at the presentations, but as I say, going forward, maybe that's something we can do to enhance.... I have been informed by the RCMP, as Mr. McDonell just said, that all new incoming officers here are to be briefed on the issue of parliamentary privilege.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  My response is that we've had many, many visits since I've been Sergeant-at-Arms. Unfortunately, regrettably, there are two, one with Mr. Netanyahu, who visited in 2012, and this visit this time around, where this incident arose. I think all we can do, to answer your question, is to do our best and to again redouble our efforts to get everybody on the right page, so that under no circumstances could a member of Parliament's access be interfered with in coming up to the precinct.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, sir. Again, I just want to point out that I, as Sergeant-at-Arms, feel that I and my team have a responsibility to assist and to help the RCMP in this process. We did ask in the past, and have been informed in the past, that all RCMP employees who come to work on the Hill are taught and instructed on parliamentary privilege.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Sir, I would think we're going to have to double our efforts with our partners, particularly with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to ensure these things don't happen. There are a number of avenues we're already looking at. You will recall back in the 2012 incident during that visit there were controlled pedestrian access points, and we resolved that issue by having a member of the House of Commons security go out on the site with the RCMP member to identify members of Parliament.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I believe all of the officers who were involved have been spoken to, not by the House of Commons, but with the RCMP. As well, in this particular case, the Ottawa city police motorcycle unit was involved in stopping green buses from coming up onto the Hill. I understand that everyone who was involved in the incident has been spoken to.