As Canada Day festivities make a comeback on July 1 after a two-year hiatus, authorities in Ottawa say they’re prepared to handle big crowds and potential protests.
“I want to assure everyone that the RCMP, Ottawa Police, Police de Gatineau, and the Parliamentary Protective Service are fully prepared to respond to any situation,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson at a press conference on June 27.
Watson said he would not be “intimated” by groups that plan to “disrupt the celebrations.”
“I encourage people to come and have a peaceful, joyous occasion in our nation’s capital. And those people who are coming here to disrupt those wonderful celebrations will be dealt with the full force of the law, and they’re not going to be warnings and second chances if the law is broken,” he said….