Brad Johns; from Communications NS
The provincial Tories are showing some cautious optimism after the first weeks of the Mass Casualty Commission.
The first block of public proceeding ran from Feb. 22 to Mar. 9.
Premier Tim Houston was vocal with criticism in the early days of the public inquiry.
He issued a critical press release before the first day which prompted commission members to respond that the inquiry was independent and should be free from political interference.
Houston responded that it is his job to represent the families, and that he would continue to air their misgivings about how the inquiry was progressing.
However, after a cabinet Thursday, Brad Johns, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, spoke favourably about the proceedings so far.
“I think they’re doing a relatively good job, they are listening to, or they seem to be listening to, concerns that are being raised by families and counsel.”
Commissioners ruled Wednesday the first three responding officers will testify at the proceedings in late March. The officers will be subpoenaed to answer questions about their decisions, including the issue of containment of the rarely used road in Portapique which the gunman used to escape.
Lawyers for families of victims wanted to hear from officers who responded during the early hours of the shooting. However, legal counsel for the force argued live testimony would re-traumatize first responders and go against the inquiry’s mandate
The way has also been cleared for the gunman’s common law spouse, Lisa Banfield, to testify at the proceedings after a criminal charge of supplying the gunman with ammunition was sent to restorative justice.
A gunman killed 22 people through northern Nova Scotia, from Portapique to Shubenacadie, on April 18-19, 2020, before he was killed by police at a gas station in Enfield.
