‘Progress’ is being made on Mass Casualty Commission findings 

The chair of the committee charged with overseeing implementation of the recommendations of the Mass Casualty Commission says it’s ensuring progress is made. 

 “We are holding the governments and the RCMP accountable,” Myra Freeman said as she addressed the media Monday morning. 

The commission made a total of 130 recommendations when it released its report last year. Freeman said 24 of those recommendations have been addressed.  

“Actions on the commission’s recommendations continues to be among the highest public priorities for Canadians and most especially for Nova Scotians,” said Freeman.  

Freeman didn’t offer many details of the implementation of the recommendations and the progress monitoring the committee’s actions. 

However, she did say “to date we’ve met five times and received briefings on many of the key themes, which include community safety and well-being, policing reform, access to firearms, public health and gender-based and intimate partner violence.” 

“There is still a great deal of work to do and we know that addressing all the recommendations will take time.” 

Premier Tim Houston acknowledged again in a news release today that, “intimate partner violence is an epidemic in Nova Scotia.”  

“We must focus on preventing this violence and improve what we do when it happens,” he added.  

Improvements are coming to the approach in addressing intimate partner violence in the province, according to Freeman.  

“We know it’s a serious problem. We know it requires meaningful change, and it requires leadership in all governments. It’s important that strong working relationships are built with advocates,” she said.  

Freeman said the progress on gender-based/intimate partner violence and access to firearms have both been rated as initiated, and the progress on police reform is largely complete. 

In future meetings, Freeman said the committee will receive briefings on “policing and emergency management including public alerting in an emergency situation, policing reform and community safety and well-being.”  

Thus far, the committee has yet to evaluate the progress of the RCMP, but they are currently receiving periodic updates from the organization. 

“Real progress takes time, and those responsible for those recommendations are putting in the right time to make thoughtful and meaningful change,” Freeman said. 

Freeman said that good progress was being made, labelling the RCMP’s actions as “comprehensive” and directed the public to the RCMP’s website for further information on their progress.  

The public will have to wait until next month for the committee’s evaluation on the RCMP’s progress on addressing community safety and public alerting concerns.  

“It’s not a race against time … It’s a matter of getting it right and taking the time we need to move these things forward,” said Freeman.  

On April 18, 2020, Halifax denturist Gabriel Wortman began a series of attacks that would spiral into Canada’s deadliest mass shooting.  

While disguised as a police officer, Wortman killed 22 people and injured three over two days. His motive remains unknown.  

Affected were the communities of Portapique, Wentworth, Debert, and Shubenacadie.  

In July 2020, public safety minister Bill Blair announced a public inquiry into the attacks following outcry from members of Parliament and the victims’ families demanding a hardy investigation. That led to the Mass Casualty Commission, which delivered its findings in March 2023.