A federal-provincial inquiry into the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 22 Nova Scotians could be announced as early as next week after the details are sorted out. Attorney General Mark Furey said yesterday discussions between the province and federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair are in the “final stages.” Premier Stephen McNeil told […]
Mass shooting lawsuit amended; victims’ families call for public inquiry
The class action lawsuit brought against the estate of the man who killed 22 people and injured seven others during a fiery rampage across northern Nova Scotia has been updated through an amended statement of claim. The lawsuit includes three groups of plaintiffs: those whose loved ones were murdered by the person the Halifax Examiner […]
Nova Scotia massacre: Did the RCMP “risk it out” one time too many?
Catharine Mansley was a Mountie for 24 years. In time her mind began to go from all the stress of being a RCMP patrol officer in Halifax County. She began drinking. When she complained about her problem to her supervisors, that just added to them. She was caught driving drunk twice. Convicted once, she went […]
Premier McNeil: A message from my grandmother about the RCMP
That horrible weekend last month, all Canadians witnessed what was likely the most catastrophic collapse of policing in Canadian history. Little, if anything, went right. Twenty-two people were murdered. The gunman marauded around the province of Nova Scotia with seeming impunity, only being killed and captured because the last person he murdered had left her […]
Dear Mr. Premier: I know you’re busy but…
You need to appoint a public inquiry into the recent mass murders in Nova Scotia. Now. Yesterday. It needs to be open and transparent and broad-based. I have a few suggestions. You're welcome.
Dear Premier McNeil, I know you’ve been busy, telling Nova Scotians to stay the blazes home and telling our legislators to stay the blazes out of affairs that are none of their business. Such as government spending. I mean, what gives elected MLAs the right to hold online committee hearings to ask awkward questions about […]
What to do if you think you’re being stopped by a fake cop
Morning File, Monday, April 27, 2020
News 1. Northwood “The COVID-19-related deaths of seven more residents of the Northwood nursing home were announced over the weekend, bringing the total number of deaths from the disease at the facility to 18,” I reported yesterday: That’s three-quarters of all 24 COVID-19-related deaths in Nova Scotia. The disease may take a few days to […]
Portapique tragedy: We need a full public inquiry
It isn't about assigning blame. But there are questions we need to answer, and it isn’t good enough for the RCMP to conduct an internal investigation into what happened and why, and then tell us what they decide we’re allowed to know.
Late on the afternoon of Sunday, April 19, I sat in front of my television waiting for an RCMP briefing I fully expected would help me make sense of the confusing cascade of disjointed, disconcerting, increasingly frightening news bytes and bulletins that had tumbled out and over one another all that day. I’d woken to […]