N.S. shooter’s spouse to testify at public inquiry, will not go to trial on criminal charge

The common-law spouse of the man responsible for Canada's worst mass shooting will testify at the public inquiry into the tragedy.

The Mass Casualty Commission has confirmed that Lisa Banfield will meet with the commissioners Wednesday afternoon for the first in a series of interviews.

Banfield is expected to testify under subpoena at a later date, the commission said.

The development comes as the criminal case against Banfield moves to Nova Scotia’s Restorative Justice Program, clearing the way for her to testify at the public inquiry.

Last month, Banfield's lawyer said his client would not speak at the inquiry as long as she was facing criminal charges.

Banfield is accused of illegally providing the shooter with ammunition in the month leading up to the killings. Her criminal case was in Dartmouth provincial court Wednesday morning and she appeared in court with her lawyer.

She was first charged in December 2020 with unlawfully transferring ammunition to Gabriel Wortman, who killed 22 people and an unborn child during a violent rampage in Nova Scotia in April 2020.

Banfield pleaded not guilty to the charge in May 2021 and was scheduled to go to trial on March 22.

However, the Crown said Wednesday that Banfield will not go to trial, and that her case is entering the restorative justice program instead. If she successfully completes the program, the criminal charge against her will be dropped.

"With respect to the prosecution, we understood that this trial, that Ms. Banfield was charged with transferring ammunition without legal authorization. The focus of that trial would be narrow. It would be focused on whether the Crown could prove those charges," said Crown prosecutor Cory Roberts.

"At the end of the day, it would not allow for the public, and in many ways the victims, to have a forum to understand the larger picture, and so for that reason the Restorative Justice Program allows for a different kind of justice, a different kind of holistic community-based justice."

It is unclear whether the victims’ families will participate in the restorative justice process, but the Crown said it’s possible.

“That will ultimately be the decision of the community agency that this matter is being referred to,” said Roberts. “They will design the process. They’ll do so consulting with community and with any victims.”

Michael Scott, a lawyer representing the victims’ families, told CTV News he hasn’t been advised on the matter and doesn’t have any formal details at this time.

BANFIELD PREPARED TO TELL HER STORY: LAWYER

Banfield’s lawyer, James Lockyer, told reporters Wednesday morning that his client is prepared to tell her story.

The RCMP has said that Banfield wasn’t aware of Wortman’s intentions while her lawyer has said she didn’t have a will of her own.

Lockyer said Wednesday that how authorities deal with domestic violence will be a key issue in the inquiry.

"I hope so, and I'm sure it will be, and Lisa's going to play a big role in that," he said.

"I think she's a very important part of what happened that night and an important part for the process as well."

Banfield's brother and brother-in-law have also been charged with supplying the shooter with ammunition.

James Banfield pleaded guilty in January and will be sentenced on June 1.

Brian Brewster has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in July.