Legislative assembly to tighten security
Doors to non-public areas will have locking mechanisms
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, January 22, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Government of the NWT is spending $60,000 to upgrade security measures at the legislative assembly.
Tim Mercer, clerk of the assembly, stated in an e-mail to Yellowknifer that the changes were agreed to following the shooting on Parliament Hill which left a soldier and gunman dead in October 2014.
The changes were discussed during an in-camera session of the territorial government's board of management meeting held at the legislative assembly on Jan. 13.
The media was barred from hearing a presentation to the board on the security upgrades. Mercer explained what they heard after the meeting.
"This discussion related to the introduction of locking mechanisms on the doors leading to the non-public areas of the building similar to what you'd find in most public offices," Mercer stated. "The presentation included details as to how this system would be programmed and what operational changes would be made within the building to protect the safety and security of the members and staff who work here. These security enhancements are being done in conjunction with the installation of wider and automatically opening doors to improve access for persons with disabilities."
Mercer said the money is being "re-profiled" from another project - the water's edge park - located beside the assembly building - which Mercer said is substantially complete.
"Enhancements to the security of the site and building are ongoing. The specific project on fob access doors will be complete in the current fiscal year," Mercer responded after Yellowknifer asked for a timeframe for the completion of the security enhancements.
The GNWT's fiscal year ends March 31.
In an e-mail to Yellowknifer, RCMP Const. Jack Keefe of the Yellowknife detachment stated the Mounties had investigated two complaints of threats to the legislature - one in 2011 and another in 2012.
"Both involved social media and e-mails and neither were found to be criminal in nature," Keefe stated. "We have not had any investigations involving threats to members of the 17th and 18th legislative assemblies."
The improvements to access for people with disabilities follows a human rights complaint filed against the legislative assembly in 2013 by a Yellowknife woman who has multiple sclerosis.
Elizabeth Portman said glass doorways to the building's elevator heading to the public gallery on the second floor are too heavy.
As well, she said the doors to the washrooms lack automatic opening devices. The washrooms are marked as accessible for people with disabilities.
She said a lack of adequate accommodations caused her to be stuck on one of the building's toilets in November 2013.
In May 2014, then-legislative assembly clerk Colette Langlois informed the NWT Human Rights Commission that the assembly's parliamentary privilege negates the commission's power to investigate it.
Denise McKee, executive director of the NWT Disabilities Council, went on a tour of the assembly Tuesday with Darrin Oulette, director of corporate services at the assembly, and Sergeant-at-Arms Brian Thagard to check out the accessibility improvements.
"The renovations will add greater ease of accessibility to all public areas including washrooms and meeting rooms," McKee stated in an e-mail.
"We were also happy to see that this extended to emergency planning and that they were open to ideas and consultation. The NWT Disabilities Council is happy to see the GNWT making progress toward full inclusion at the assembly."
Some of the renovations will help individuals who are visually impaired or blind, McKee said adding that the upgrades include adding distinctive visual markings to the glass doors and flooring to help people with visual impairments better identify and define spaces.
"For instance, (with) glass doors, it is very difficult to determine (if) a door is open or closed. By putting distinctive etchings or markings on the glass, it is easier to determine where one space ends and another begins," McKee said. "This allows for safer manoeuvreability throughout the building."
