Had the Ottawa gunman opened fire at Ottawa’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier five days ago, his victim could have been an Esquimalt-based sailor.
Several sailors from CFB Esquimalt stood sentry at the National War Memorial — where the killing of an army reservist began Wednesday’s chain of events — as recently as Oct. 18.
They were there as part of the National Sentry Program, in which Canadian Armed Forces members rotate through the ceremonial duty — standing guard with unloaded rifles — in the months leading up to Remembrance Day.
The Esquimalt contingent, which served from mid-September, was chosen on merit. “It’s an honour for a member to be selected,” said base public affairs officer Capt. Jenn Jackson.
While security was tightened Wednesday at bases elsewhere in Canada, there was no change to access to CFB Esquimalt — though military police took up posts at the entrances to those parts of the base, such as Dockyard, that are normally off-limits to visitors.
“CFB Esquimalt is not on lockdown, despite rumours to the contrary,” said the base commander, Capt. Steve Waddell.
Likewise, military personnel had not, as of Wednesday, been told to avoid wearing their uniforms in public, he said. About 3,500 uniformed personnel work out of CFB Esquimalt.
Waddell said the base routinely reviews its security measures. “We don’t talk about specifics.”
