The Department of National Defence is in discussions with the Ottawa Police Service to provide police protection for unarmed ceremonial guards in the capital, CBC News has learned.
The discussions come nearly five months after Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed while on honorary guard duty at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22.
National Defence is requesting two armed constables to guard the sentries at the memorial, and possibly two more to guard those at Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence. The constables would be armed with their standard-issue handguns.
Ottawa police Supt. Scott Nystedt said the talks are about providing security for the sentry program, which runs from April to November.
“The talks are underway for a paid duty contract for the Department of National Defence,” Nystedt said. “It hasn’t been signed and we’re working out the details.”
While the details of a potential agreement are still being negotiated, Nystedt said the officers would be paid by the Department of National Defence. The work would be considered overtime, and above and beyond their regular police duties, he said.
Col. Lionel Smith, who is responsible for the ceremonial guards, confirmed discussions are underway.
“We are always looking for measure to increase the safety and protection of our members,” Smith said.
The sentries are expected to return to their posts on April 9 after the winter break.
Ah, why have armed police guarding unarmed ceremonial guards?
When, as I said at the time, they could and should arm the unarmed guards!
Then, they could not only ACTUALLY guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but they could also quite handily defend themselves.
Or are we against our soldiers being able to do so, preferring to make them dependent on civilian police? Why?
Our rulers are getting increasingly stupid…
Patriactionary 
Eric
March 13, 2015 at 3:11 am
This reminds me of right after 9/11 here, Bush Jr. ordered armed soldiers to patrol the airports. But after complaints from Libtards, he ordered them not to load their guns.
Will S.
March 13, 2015 at 5:49 am
I know, eh? How absurd…
Now, it’s true that there was a time when police themselves didn’t always carry guns: in Robert Peel’s time, the London police, or ‘Bobbies’, weren’t armed with anything more than a nightstick. But they were still armed with something! And that was a time when even criminals in Britain at least were civilized enough to generally not attack police officers apprehending them.
We no longer live in such a time.
A guard, should be a guard. And while I’m glad police are armed, I see no reason why soldiers guarding something, even within our borders, shouldn’t also be armed. Else they’re not a guard, or a patrol. They’re just for show…
Sanne
March 13, 2015 at 6:12 am
Criminals being “more civilised” was probably at least partly the result of the fact that the punishment for murder in UK had always been death by hanging, and for other serious offences hard labour and stuff like that. Nowadays criminals know they have nothing to fear and that liberals will sympathise with them and not their victims.
Lena S.
March 13, 2015 at 1:02 pm
LOL The absurdity of the modern world just keeps getting more absurd.
ddswaterloo
March 13, 2015 at 10:17 pm
No guards at the borders and airports where a facilitated invasion is allowed.
Africa for Africans, Asia for Asians, White Countries for Everyone is the problem
Will S.
March 13, 2015 at 10:28 pm
@ Sanne: No doubt. When you have good stiff penalties, even hardened criminals will behave better. 🙂
@ Lena: I know! Occasionally, I think our rulers are diabolically clever, but other times, it’s clear they’re increasingly brain-dead!
Will S.
March 13, 2015 at 10:37 pm
@ Cecil Henry: Yes; alas…
Sanne
March 14, 2015 at 5:16 am
Will, they are clever when it comes to filling their own pockets, for the rest they don’t care. After me the deluge.
Will S.
March 14, 2015 at 8:01 am
Indeed, Sanne.