Security Gates Don’t Solve Security Woes: GRAY

Published 06/17/2025 · Updated 06/17/2025

ken.gray .logo

Orleans West-Innes Councillor Laura Dudas has written a powerful article in the Ottawa Citizen about the need for security gates at Ottawa City Hall. It is a valuable addition to the discussion of public policy.

We have seen the recent violence against politicians in Minnesota … in a different country but still sobering.

And we decry the threats against the councillor and her family here in Ottawa.

But there are some cruel facts about public life that politicians, entertainment figures, sports stars and other people must realize when they enter their fields. You will be threatened and there’s no real way to protect yourself from such threats except to privately hire experts in the field. Many public people have bodyguards and for good reason.

If presidents of the United States can be shot with all the security surrounding them, no public figure is safe. And note that the shooting of those presidents took place outside of the high-security White House. The real danger is not at city hall for all its defences but outside it. And realistically, the police can do little to nothing about it, either through the lack of resources or a lack of resolve. I won’t start listing the ways to cause problems for fear of giving someone the idea of doing something frightful. However, it is correct to say that list is long.

Security gates won’t stop someone from doing harm as a high-profile incident on Parliament Hill showed. The troubled simply turn their weapon on those at the security gate, then carry on with their horrible deed. If security at Ottawa City Hall has confiscated knives from individuals at council security gates, it’s unlikely those people were serious about doing harm. Furthermore, an unarmed person disarming an armed person showing serious intent is unlikely.

A bigger issue exists with the gates at city hall than security. It’s called democracy. If you turn one of the symbols of democracy in this city into a defensive camp, where is the democracy? Standing up for democracy is about more than just words. People have done much more than that to insure that democracy survives. Democracy is a constant fight in so many areas of society. It must be defended against people with bad intentions and people with misguided good intentions.

Already, security cameras have caused a marked diminution of privacy but people get them, imperfect as they are, because they fear for their safety. Privacy has been the victim in the move to a less democratic society.

If we turn our society into a fortress, the troubled of our society will respond in unfortunate ways. Too much security and democracy doesn’t exist. It’s a police state. The bad guys will have won.

U.S. cities have cameras, bars, razor wire, weapons, security gates and active police. Nevertheless, the U.S. is an example of a violent society that breeds more violence. Canada is different. There must be a reason why.

The fact of the matter is that security is impossible. The way to deal with violence in our peaceful society is to speak out against it and educate. That’s what democracy is all about. Is it perfect? Hardly. Troubled people have been with us since the dawn of time and they will continue to be out there for the foreseeable future.

Elected officials feel they are unsafe. A few of them actually are. But then our society in general is not especially safe. It’s the price you pay for freedom.

We feel for the councillor’s situation but security gates are not the answer.

A free society and the rule of law are flawed ways of dealing with violence and threatened violence but they are what we have. We need to encourage people to come to city hall to see democracy in action to reinforce its strong values in our society. And city hall must maintain strong values to remain an example to all.

Is there a price to be paid for freedom? Yes. There always has been and always will be danger.

But democracy thrives in a free and open society. It dies in fear, arms, hatred and exclusivity.

Ken Gray is an award-winning journalist who worked at five major Canadian newspapers in almost all facets of the craft. He is an educator, broadcaster and at present is the editor and founder of the 16-year-old pioneering internet publication, The Bulldog.