DHAKA: Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper said on Thursday the government will expedite plans to give more powers of detention and surveillance to security agencies in the wake of an attack on Parliament.

‘They need to be much strengthened, and I assure you, Mr Speaker, that work which is already under way will be expedited,’ he told the House of Commons, one day after a gunman launched an attack on Parliament and was shot dead.

Canada's parliament gave a hero’s welcome to Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers when it re-opened. Vickers had on Wednesday put aside his ceremonial duties to draw a gun and take down the assailant.

Applause rang out for the guardian of the cradle of Canada’s democracy, who bears the assembly’s ceremonial mace, followed by a prayer, the national anthem, a moment of silence, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 2121 HRS, OCT 23, 2014