Premier says threat phoned in, prompting evacuation of Manitoba legislature

WINNIPEG – The Manitoba legislature was evacuated today for over an hour due to a security threat.

The fire alarm rang, and politicians, staff and visitors were ordered outside the building as Question Period was winding down.

Speaker Myrna Driedger said there was a security threat in the public gallery.

Premier Brian Pallister later said a threat was phoned in — something he called mischief-making and unproductive.

There were many visitors in the public gallery, including group of students opposed to a bill that would ease restrictions on post-secondary tuition increases.

The students had left the gallery before the security threat, however, and had briefly protested in a hallway.