House of Commons of Canada — Local services in Ottawa

I was lucky enough to take a tour of the House of Commons building. The Centre Block, where the House of Commons usually meets, is currently under reconstruction🏗️, so the meetings have been moved to the West Block. This is a Neo-Gothic building of an elongated upwards structure with pointed arches and openwork details. Only after studying the information on the House of Commons official website, I realised that I was in the courtyard of the West Block. At the time of my stay on the tour, I was surprised by the combination of Gothic walls and modern building, but I had no idea what labyrints I was wandering through. The House of Commons room is a huge spacious hall with a high glass ceiling. I was amazed by the sight of tremendous steel columns in the shape of tree trunks, which support the roof. The glass ceiling lets in a lot of light and also makes the building more energy efficient. The House of Commons room is filled with tables and chairs🪑, which are original and moved from the Centre Block. From the guide's stories, I realized that an ordinary visitor can't enter the Chamber, since the entrance is strictly guarded by Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Bar (brass rod) also prevent penetration inside. The Sergeant-at-Arms is also the guardian of the Mace. I wish I didn't manage to see the Mace, because it only appears at meetings! On the opposite side of the Chamber to the Sergeant-at-Arms place stands the Speaker's chair. From this chair, the Speaker🇨🇦🧑🏻‍💼 direct the debate and is responsible for observing all the rules. Members of the government and the opposition are sitting at other tables. From the House of Commons Chamber, our group then got into the Antechamber. This is a rather narrow corridor, in which one wall is modern, and the second is Gothic, with arched window aspiring upwards. In the wall corner, I noticed a petrified gargoyle monster. Portraits of former Prime Ministers of Canada are placed in black frames in the Antechamber. But most of all in the Antechamber I remembered the mistress of the sea animals Sedna sculpture (she reminds me of a mermaid🧜🏻‍♀️). Then our group followed in the Foyer. There is lower ceiling in this room. The Canadian Prime Ministers portraits in gilded frames hang on the walls. The last spot of our tour was a visit to the Room of Remembrance. In this room, I felt like the Little Prince on the planet in the middle of the starry sky. There are eight books on the tables. The books contain the names of all the soldiers who died in the military service of Canada. In general, I want to say that visiting Parliament Hill made an amazing impression on me. Of course, I would really like to see the Centre Block after reconstruction!!! The architectural ensemble of several buildings on Parliament Hill occupies a huge area, and being there, you have the feeling you are in a...

If you're planning to tour one of the government buildings on the ''Hill,'' it should be this one!

We were lucky to secure the tickets on the very same day of our visit, however I suggest reserving them in advance online. If there are no tickets available, try your luck anyway by visiting their ticket office in person early in the morning, and you might be able to get some, like us. They apparently keep some tickets available for walk-ins, which is a thoughtful touch! Additionally, tours are available in English and French.

Before the tour itself, we had to pass through airport style security, and because of that we nearly missed the beginning of the tour. It's advised to arrive at least 20 minutes before the tour starts. Normally that would be the time to explore the gift store, but because of our late arrival we had to do that after the tour.

Visiting the rooms and chambers of the House of Commons was exceptional and went beyond my expectations! And when I say our guide, Kennedy, was knowledgeable, it would be an understatement. He knew so much about the building, its history, symbolic meaning of some of the features, the government, democratic system - and just about everything else. I did really appreciate his enthusiasm which translated into one of the best tours I have been part of. I was not bored even for a split of a second. We had the opportunity to visit the main auditorium (we did visit some other committee rooms as well) where the members of parliament sit, which is extraordinary in itself. How the modern architecture blends seamlessly with the century-old building is stunning. I particularly enjoyed the explanation about the portraits of the prime ministers and why J. Trudeau's is missing (you'll have to visit to find out the answer).

The guided tour lasted approximately 45 minutes, was very well organized and cohesive, mainly thanks to the group size. The group consisting of only seven visitors (not sure that's a standard or an anomaly), made the whole experience smooth and intimate. We were allowed to take pictures and even encouraged, but video recording was not permitted. Overall, it was one of the most informative tours I've experienced, leaving me with a deeper appreciation for Canadian history and architecture. Visited on a...

An ugly place of double standards, discrimination, and white supremacy！

My friend and I booked a visit this afternoon. At the security check, we had to go through the scanner. I saw the woman in front of me complete her check, so I stepped forward through the scanner and was about to collect my belongings. Suddenly, a white security guard stopped me and asked: “Did I allow you to pass?”

I thought I misheard and replied, “Excuse me?” He repeated: “Did I allow you to pass?” I asked what I was supposed to do, and he told me to step back. I understand the importance of Parliament security, but he could have spoken respectfully—something like, “Sir, please step back and wait until I call you.” Instead, he chose a very rude and demeaning way to speak.

I had no choice but to step back to the scanner, and after a while he nodded to let me go through again. I assumed maybe this “waiting for permission” was the standard procedure. But then, the white woman behind me followed immediately after without being told anything. She passed freely without his interference. This was blatant double standards.

It is shocking that in 2025, such a thing happened at the Canadian Parliament. Such a beautiful building, such a strong democratic system—yet this kind of discrimination still occurs. Truly...