Ottawa shooting: Security at Calgary military sites reviewed
Calgarians honour slain Canadian Forces members with flowers, hand-written cards
A military spokesman in Calgary says small security changes are being made at military sites after Wednesday’s deadly attack in Ottawa.
Maj. Graham Longhurst of the 41 Canadian Brigade Group says protocols are always being re-assessed and there may be new access restrictions at some military installations.
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Members of the Canadian Forces have also been instructed to limit their time in public while in uniform, he said.
Longhurst said everyone in the military community has been affected by the deaths of two soldiers this week.
“I’ve lost friends and colleagues while on deployments and people that I’ve trained and sent overseas. Your immediate reaction of course is one of great sadness, that you've lost ... you know, somebody in the Canadian Forces,” he said.
“It's no different than anybody would react to losing something like that, losing friends, colleagues, loved ones.”
Makeshift memorial
Longhurst says Calgarians have always been strong supporters of the military and it means a lot to members of the forces and reservists alike.
Calgarians have been leaving flowers and cards at Mewata Armoury and at Central Memorial Park to honour Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent.
Cirillo was shot and killed at the National War Memorial in Ottawa Wednesday as he stood in ceremonial guard.
Vincent died Monday in a hit-and-run attack in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, near Montreal, by a suspected extremist.
Cpt. Steven Zivkow says the flowers are appreciated by military members.
"It makes us feel proud, knowing that our civilian population, the citizens of Calgary, support the military."
There are 400 reservists in Calgary and several dozen members of the regular forces based in the city.