a thorough after-action review of the events in the Hall of Honour is a good idea, and I'm sure it's already under way, but now is a bad time for a major revision of public security law.

Scared legislators tend to make bad decisions.

Canadians treat the grounds of the Parliament Buildings as their personal front yard, and that's a good thing. Everybody likes seeing families with little kids hanging out with coolers and picnic blankets on Canada Day, and the gangs of yoga enthusiasts working out at lunch time on a weekday in summer. But a bit more obvious security presence would not be resented, if done right.

The royal palace in Oslo sits in the middle of a large park in the middle of the city, a couple of blocks from the Storting (Norwegian parliament). When I was last there, 20 years ago, the park was patrolled by pairs of handsome young soldiers who wore fancy hats with business-like workdress uniforms. They smiled and greeted visitors, asked where you're from and if you're having a nice vacation. They carried machine pistols and were obviously fit, capable and watchful as well as friendly. Every door to the building was guarded by yet more nice young soldiers.

Maintaining a security posture that active takes time, training and effort, and the troops have to be carefully taught to be watchful without being confrontational or overtly suspicious. But if they could do it in Norway ...