Greenpeace activist Christy Ferguson, whose organization’s controversial stunt in 2009 prompted a major security review on Parliament Hill, has criticized the latest round of upgrades — the installation of new vehicle barriers — as another example of the government failing to appreciate the real threat to global security: climate change.
“Climate change is costing lives,” she says.“People are dying because governments around the world are failing to act and failing to take responsibility, and their response to that is to put up more fences, more security cameras.”
The decision to ramp up security was made after 20 Greenpeace activists climbed the roof of the West Block undetected three years ago, says RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Lucy Shorey.
The incident prompted concern about the safety of Parliament Hill. A six-month construction project to beef up security at the entrances to the Parliament Buildings began early this month.
“The security breach was a concern for me,” says Robert Dekker, vice-president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association. “We should be thankful all they did was hang a banner.”
The $8.3-million project will install short posts that can be raised and lowered at four vehicle entrances, says Sébastien Bois of Public Works and Government Services Canada. Two other vehicle gateways will be turned into pedestrian-only entry points.
New video surveillance equipment will also be installed, to “improve the views of the perimeters of the West, East and Centre Block facilities as well as spaces where persons congregate,” says Shorey. The next step will be to build a vehicle-screening facility.
The response to the Greenpeace incident shows that the federal government’s priorities are in the wrong place, says Ferguson.The stunt helped Greenpeace reach its aims and bring its cause to a national audience.
Hopefully these new measures will improve access for residents and tourists, instead of preventing it, says Dekker.
But Ferguson says she wants to see changes in legislation, not security. Protests and civil disobedience will continue until that happens.
"No amount of security or fences or cameras will change that.”