Proposed legislation in Nova Scotia would require the legislature’s sergeant-at-arms to carry a sidearm and have the same firearms training as police officers.
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Justice Minister Mark Furey says changes to the House of Assembly Act would also designate the position as a peace officer and give the sergeant-at-arms the authority to pursue people who leave the premises of the legislature when required and appropriate.
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Furey says the changes are being made with safety and security in mind and are part of conversations that have been ongoing since a gunman attacked Parliament Hill in Ottawa in 2014.
Former RCMP officer David Fraser, who is the current sergeant-at-arms, has been carrying a firearm since he was made a special constable upon his hiring in 2016.
Furey says the weapon carried by the sergeant-at-arms is a 9-millimetre pistol that is currently used by police officers.
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The sergeant-at-arms in the legislatures of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and on Parliament Hill carry weapons.
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