TRURO and HALIFAX, NS, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Mass Casualty Commission is sharing the initial dates and location of the Inquiry's public proceedings that will occur this fall. The public proceedings will take place between October 26, 2021, and December 10, 2021, at the Halifax Convention Centre and other venues to be determined in consultation with Participants.
These proceedings will contribute to the Commission's fact-finding, research, policy, and analytical work. During the proceedings, there will be a focus on what happened leading up to and during the April 18 and 19, 2020 mass casualty. The Commission will review topics that include police actions, firearms, communications with the public, communications between and within law enforcement agencies and other services, and the role of intimate partner violence.
Holding public hearings is one way the inquiry will receive information. Other Commission proceedings include activities such as public/stakeholder/community engagement, and community and policy roundtables.
The proceedings of the inquiry are organized in three phases (see Commission overview): 1) Establishing the Foundations of What Happened; 2) Learning & Understanding about Why & How; 3) Shaping & Sharing Findings & Recommendations.
Specifically, the Commission is required to make findings on matters including:
- The causes, context and circumstances of the April 2020 mass casualty;
- The responses of police, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), municipal police forces, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Criminal Intelligence Service Nova Scotia, the Canadian Firearms Program and the Alert Ready program;
- The steps taken to inform, support and engage victims, families and affected citizens.
The Commission is further required to examine issues related to the mass casualty including:
- Access to firearms;
- Prior interactions and relationship of the perpetrator with the police and social services;
- Police actions;
- The role of gender-based and intimate partner violence;
- Communications with the public during and after the event;
- Communications between and within law enforcement agencies and other services;
- Police policies, procedures and training.
The final phase will include setting out lessons learned and recommendations to help keep Canadians and our communities safer in the future.
The Commission will plan for both in-person and virtual proceedings, with the final decision dependent on COVID-19 restrictions as well as advice from Nova Scotia Public Health. Proceedings will be available by virtual broadcast, and records and additional information will be made available on the Commission's website (www.masscasualtycommission.ca).
Following the May 13, 2021, Participation Decision, the Commission held its first meeting with Participants on Friday, May 28, 2021. The Participants will be involved with the planning of the public proceedings. Commission Counsel will work with all Participants to determine the extent of their participation. It is not necessary to be a Participant in order to be involved with the Commission's work. For example, members of the public may attend future community engagement events as well as other proceedings.
Next steps include ongoing engagement with those most affected; independent investigation into the events of April 18 and 19, 2020; research and policy work; and planning stakeholder/community engagement and proceedings. Over the summer, the Commission will be reaching out to stakeholders and community members to share information and exchange ideas. Information is updated regularly on the Commission's website (www.masscasualtycommission.ca) and social media channels.
Background References:
Inquiry Process Overview
Participation Decision
Mandate
Order in Council: Government of Canada
Order in Council: Government of Nova Scotia
Health supports
Commission Overview
About the Mass Casualty Commission: The Commission into the April 2020 Nova Scotia Mass Casualty (the "Mass Casualty Commission") is an independent public inquiry created to examine the April 18–19, 2020 mass casualty in Nova Scotia and to provide meaningful recommendations to help protect Canadians in the future. For more information, see https://masscasualtycommission.ca/.
SOURCE Mass Casualty Commission
Mass Casualty Commission, [email protected]
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