Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

House of Commons to lift ban on public visitors

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Apr, 2022 05:13 PM
  • House of Commons to lift ban on public visitors

OTTAWA - The House of Commons will next week lift a ban on public visits, introduced more than two years ago to stem the spread of COVID-19.

The Commons chamber's public gallery will reopen on Monday, allowing people to once again watch MPs' debates in person.

The public will also be able to watch committees where MPs discuss a variety of issues including health and Indigenous affairs.

Next month, guided tours of the House of Commons will also restart for the first time since March 2020.

"Speaker (Anthony) Rota is very pleased that the doors to the galleries of the House of Commons and committees are once again open to the public," said Heather Bradley, the Speaker's communications director.

Visitors will have to wear masks and show they are vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit Parliament under rules imposed by the board of internal economy, an all-party committee of MPs that administers the Commons.

Senators were sent an email on March 18 from the office of George Furey, the Senate Speaker, saying the general public would be allowed back to its galleries next week.

"General public access to the Senate galleries will be reinstated in the week of April 25, 2022, and guided public tours are anticipated to resume in the week of May 16, 2022," the email said.

However, a spokesman for the Senate said Thursday it would "not be reinstating general public access at this time."

"Discussions are currently ongoing, and any official decision taken with respect to public access to the Senate precinct will be communicated through appropriate channels in due course," said Ross Ryan, Senate spokesman.

The Senate Speaker's email, entitled "Visitor and Guest Access to the Senate," also said guests of Senators would again be able to visit starting on March 21.

On March 13, 2020, the board of internal economy decided to close visitor access to the House of Commons precinct and cancel public tours "as a preventive measure" against the spread of COVID-19.

The board also cancelled all Parliamentary events and functions held in the House of Commons.

MPs return to Ottawa next week after a two-week break. They have voted to continue conducting Commons business in a hybrid format — also introduced to help curb the spread of COVID-19 — with some MPs attending debates and committees in person and others virtually.

Visitors to Ottawa's Parliamentary precinct will find much of it still closed, including the historic Centre Block building, which is being refurbished.

Decorative tarps depicting an image of the Centre Block are to be draped around the historic building this spring to conceal construction and protect workers from the elements.

The "trompe l'oeil" tarps will show the Peace Tower clock set at 11:45 a.m., the precise start time of the 1927 ceremony inaugurating the tower.

MPs are based in a building called the West Block, which has already been restored. It includes a debating chamber with an accessible visitors' gallery.

MORE National ARTICLES

Man in possession of a weapon in a public place dies in hospital, incident involves Surrey RCMP

Man in possession of a weapon in a public place dies in hospital, incident involves Surrey RCMP
The Mounties say front-line officers and members of their mental health outreach team were called Friday to check on the well-being of a man who had threatened to harm himself with a weapon. They say the man was found at the home, reportedly in possession of a weapon, and police fired shots.

Man in possession of a weapon in a public place dies in hospital, incident involves Surrey RCMP

21 year old student from Delhi, Kartik Vasudev, shot outside a Toronto skytrain station, family left in shock in India

21 year old student from Delhi, Kartik Vasudev, shot outside a Toronto skytrain station, family left in shock in India
Kartik Vasudev who was only 21 was shot dead outside a skytrain station in Toronto. He was going to hop on the bus to head to his part-time job. The family was able to confirm the death on Friday afternoon but don't know the motive behind the shooting.   

21 year old student from Delhi, Kartik Vasudev, shot outside a Toronto skytrain station, family left in shock in India

“How much longer?” The case of delays in BC’s healthcare system

“How much longer?”  The case of delays in BC’s healthcare system
While the pandemic has taken the major focus of the healthcare arena and has been using most of its resources, the system was already running beyond 100% pre-pandemic. While normal businesses may have responded to pandemic-related challenges by simply hiring more staff, the health care system was already maxed out and could not respond by just adding more resources than it could safely handle.

“How much longer?” The case of delays in BC’s healthcare system

What comes next for federal dental care

What comes next for federal dental care
The terms of the deal say the government must start with children under the age of 12 in 2022, expand to under 18-year-olds, seniors and people with disabilities in 2023, and fully implement the program by 2025.

What comes next for federal dental care

Canada to donate more money to COVAX

Canada to donate more money to COVAX
COVAX raised another US$1.7 billion from countries like Canada at the event. The cash is intended to help Canada make good on its commitment to donate at least 200 million doses by the end of the year.

Canada to donate more money to COVAX

Robbers threatened staff with knife, demanded money, and stole liquor from a liquor store in Cloverdale

Robbers threatened staff with knife, demanded money, and stole liquor from a liquor store in Cloverdale
Surrey RCMP Frontline officers arrived on scene within minutes; however, the suspects had fled the area. The three suspects were able to get away with cash and liquor, but fortunately, no one was physically injured.

Robbers threatened staff with knife, demanded money, and stole liquor from a liquor store in Cloverdale