In Canada, armed security is basically unheard of. We’ve made it impossible to protect a house of worship. A sack of cash? That we can do
A friend of mine is actively involved in her cultural and religious centre in a large Canadian city. It’s a hub of local life for her community, but there’s a lot of frayed nerves. The news has been full of attacks on holy sites of late. In Canada, that includes the Quebec City mosque attack, of course. In New Zealand, it was Muslims at prayer in two mosques. In Sri Lanka, Christians in churches on Easter .
There are a few exceptions for professionals. A loaded weapon can be worn in a holster, ready for use, by properly trained personnel working in certain remote locations, where protection from animal predators is a real concern. There are also narrow exemptions for professional trappers, for much the same reason: protection from wildlife that isn’t thrilled at the prospect of being trapped. But in an urban area, the exemptions are even narrower.
You could hire a police officer or two. That’s how Canadian practice has evolved to meet the occasional need for armed security at a private function. You’ll see police officers at major sporting events or outside some houses of worship during important holidays, or even standing at the side of a busy city street during road work, to keep an eye on traffic. Most of the time, they’re there because a private entity — the contractor, venue or congregation — has hired them.
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