What the hell has happened to Parliament Hill?

As we rapidly approach Dominion Day, things are increasingly looking dire in our great dominion indeed. Case in point: we arrived in Ottawa on June 29 and the city already resembled a police state bracing for hostile invaders.

Fences and concrete blocks were everywhere, as was signage warning of new tow-away zones. Far from a celebratory mood, there was an ominous feeling in the air. And when we arrived at Parliament Hill, the sight that greeted us was shocking.

All access points to the Hill were locked down, except for one entry point. And incredibly, airport-style security was set up at this entrance, complete with metal detectors and pat-downs.

We cooperated with those operating the security checkpoint. But then things got weird. An officer with the Parliamentary Protective Service told us to stay put until she conversed with her supervisor. When the senior officer appeared on the scene, we were told to delete all video and/or audio footage that had been recorded! Unbelievable.

Naturally, we refused, and our penalty was banishment from Parliament Hill for the rest of the day. How can this be? 

It made us ponder: were we still in Canada — or North Korea? Alas, it seems to us there is less and less to celebrate on July 1 thanks to the censorious thugs currently governing our nation. Sad.

Visit www.ottawareports.ca to support our coverage from Ottawa this Canada Day weekend.