Details on mass shooting inquiry to be released next week, N.S. justice minister says
Nova Scotia Justice Minister Mark Furey said he hopes to share details next week about what the review into the mass killing of 22 people in April will look like.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Furey said they are in the final stages of working with colleagues in the federal government and an announcement is forthcoming.
Furey stressed the importance of the timeliness of such a review and said he hopes to "expedite [it] as quickly as we can."
On April 18 and 19, a gunman went on a shooting rampage across central Nova Scotia that left 22 victims dead. It began in the small community of Portapique, in Colchester County, and ended about 13 hours and 150 kilometres later at a gas station in Enfield, when the gunman was killed by police.
Furey told CBC's Information Morning on Wednesday that despite committing to an inquiry, the province would not be leading it.
Family members of one of the gunman's victims have called on the provincial and federal governments to stop debating who should hold an inquiry and move ahead with one.
On Thursday, Furey said past inquiries have not properly included families, something he said was unacceptable.
"We're trying to find an element that will ensure families will have a role to play versus sitting as bystanders. And this is a new approach, so it's taking a little longer," he said.
Furey said there are many details that need to be ironed out and "there's more to the discussion than simply calling an inquiry."
"What are the appropriate areas of focus that a review or an inquiry would give attention to? What are the appropriate questions? What are our intended outcomes, what do we want to achieve from this?" Furey said.
The justice minister said the review, which should be independent, will also need to consider other "psychological and sociological elements," such as issues around domestic violence and mental health.
"We have an opportunity to get this right," he said. "We have an opportunity to effect change in these areas going forward."
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