House of Commons sitting cancelled as police ready action on protesters in Ottawa

The House of Commons will not sit Friday to debate emergency measures the government has brought in to deal with the protest just outside its doors that is entering its fourth week.

OTTAWA -- The House of Commons will not sit Friday to debate emergency measures the government has brought in to deal with the protest just outside its doors that is entering its fourth week.

A note from Speaker Anthony Rota says the sitting is cancelled because of a police operation expected to take place by Parliament Hill and other locations around Ottawa's downtown core.

The note goes on to say that anyone not in the parliamentary precinct should stay away from the core until further notice.

It adds that anyone already in the precinct should remain in buildings and await further instructions from parliamentary security.

MPs were set for another daylong debate of the government's emergency orders that took effect earlier this week, but require confirmation by the House of Commons and Senate.

The new powers include freezing bank accounts of protest participants and barring people from assembling in specific places or joining protests that threaten trade, critical infrastructure, individuals or property.