(OTTAWA) The House of Commons will not sit on Friday to debate the emergency measures the government has put in place to deal with the protest right outside its doors, which is entering its fourth week.
Posted at 7:16 a.m.
Updated at 7:51 a.m.
A memo from Speaker Anthony Rota says Friday’s meeting is canceled due to a police operation expected to take place on Parliament Hill and other locations in downtown Ottawa.
The memo goes on to say that anyone who is not in the parliamentary precinct should stay away until further notice.
He added that anyone already present in the enclosure must remain in the buildings and await further instructions from parliamentary security.
MPs were due to take part in another day-long debate on the government’s emergency orders which came into effect earlier this week but still need to be confirmed by the House of Commons and the Senate.
Government House Leader Mark Holland said the parties hoped the House could reopen on Saturday to continue debate.
NDP House Leader Peter Julian wrote on Twitter that he and his counterparts from other parties agreed around 4:30 a.m. Friday to cancel the session that was supposed to start at 7 a.m.
He added that everyone hoped the protesters would leave the scene peacefully in the coming hours.