MPs told they must make way for motorcades on Parliament Hill

MPs may have to make away for VIP motorcades on Parliament Hill.

That was the gist of RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson's testimony before a Commons committee investigating NDP MP Yvon Godin's complaint that he was prevented from getting to the House earlier this fall.

At the time, Godin alleged he was temporarily prevented from proceeding to Centre Block for a vote by RCMP and Ottawa police securing the street for a motorcade accompanying German President Joachim Guack, who spent two days in Ottawa in September.

According to Godin, he had been trying to make it back to the Commons Chamber for a late morning vote when an RCMP officer stepped in.

He lodged a protest with House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer later that same day.

"I told the RCMP officer that I was a Member of Parliament," Godin recalled in his initial petition to the House.

"He said, and these are the exact words he used: 'I don't care.'"

When Godin pointed out that a vote was about to place, he said, the officer informed him that he was "under strict orders" to prevent anyone from going through the gates to Centre Block.

Video footage shows 70-second delay

Such an attempt to curtail the free movement of an MP within the parliamentary precinct could constitute a breach of privilege, Godin argued at the time — and as it turned out, House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer agreed.

But in his opening statement, Paulson showed MPs video footage and still photographs of the incident in question, which, he argued, showed that the whole incident had lasted just over a minute — 70 seconds, to be precise — and stressed that Godin had been allowed to cross as soon as the motorcade had passed.

"We [...] understand and appreciate that our actions must be carried out in a fashion that does not obstruct parliamentary business and is respectful of the privilege," Paulson stressed.

"But frankly speaking, it's not reasonable to expect that with all the activities going on on the Hill that there won't be the odd inconvenient delay" — including, he said, "the occasional visiting head of state with a motorcade."

"We make every effort to make sure those delays are as short as possible."

Paulson pointed out that Scheer had been briefly detained as well.

Godin, for his part, challenged the video, and asked whether it had been sped up, which Paulson denied.

Paulson also told the committee that he had interviewed officer involved — who had, according to Godin, twice said he didn't care if Godin was an MP. That officer had assured him that he was "professional" in his interaction with the MP.

Nevertheless, the RCMP commissioner agreed that it was "unfortunate," particularly given the "time-sensitive" activities involved; namely, a pending vote.

Motorcade route may change

While Paulson wouldn't go so far as to promise such an incident will never arise again, he made it clear that the RCMP, in cooperation with the Ottawa police and Hill security, will make an extra effort to take parliamentary business into consideration throughout the planning stages of such events.

"We don't arrange these visits," he reminded MPs.

"We simply secure them."

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Gilles Michaud said that they're also looking into switching the standard motorcade path from the Bank St. entrance to Elgin St., which MPs agreed would significantly reduce the potential for a clash between securing foreign dignitaries and ensuring access to the Hill.

The committee also heard from Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau and Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers.

This is far from the first time an MP has found him or herself unwittingly caught up in a VIP dragnet.

A similar incident took place in 2012, when several MPs reported being stopped by security during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

At the time, RCMP assistant commissioner James Malizia assured the committee that the force was in the process of updating its protocol for handling visits by foreign dignitaries to avoid such situations from arising in future.

The committee is expected to report its findings — which could include a recommendation that the matter be treated as a possible contempt — back to the House later this fall.