'They just want the truth': N.S. Mass Casualty Commission starts public proceedings

After delays, changes, and criticism, the public inquiry into the mass killings in Nova Scotia is set to begin Tuesday.

But families of the victims are skeptical they'll get the answers they've been seeking for nearly two years.

"There's a lot of apprehension amongst the family members, and our other clients that we represent,” said lawyer Robert Pineo at home in Cooks Brook Monday.

It was April of 2020, when a lone gunman dressed as an RCMP Officer and driving a replica police car, went on a shooting rampage.

Twenty-two people and an unborn baby would die, before he was shot to death at a gas station.

Appointed in October of 2020, the three-member Mass Casualty Commission Panel has spent the last 15 months conducting its own investigation. Including interviews and reviewing some 40,000 pages of documents.

Some families say they feel left in the dark.

"There's just a lack of clarity around the witnesses that will be called, our ability to examine witnesses, or have witnesses that we would like to call,” said Pineo.

Still, others expect the panel may address those concerns during opening statements Tuesday.

“I think we're going to see something important right away,” said lawyer Adam Rodgers, who's been a key-player in the Desmond Inquiry even before the mass shooting. He will be offering commentary through an online blog.

He says the inquiry could wind-up defining how emergency alerts are issued in the province, and how future probes handle those traumatized by violence.

But the bigger issue may be the future of the RCMP in Nova Scotia, who shares policing duties with municipal forces in a patchwork all over the province.

"It's going to be very interesting to see how the Mass Casualty Commission address those,” he said.

“If they take them on directly, or if there's some attempt to skate pass them, which I know the families are not going to be happy with."

In July of 2020, hundreds of victim’s family members gathered for a rally and march in Bible Hill, N.S., demanding a full public inquiry rather than the judicial review they’d been promised.

The federal and provincial government eventually agreed, and the commission started work in October of 2020.

In its latest update, issued Feb. 18, the commission sought to make distinctions between its work, trials and public inquiries.

“In a criminal or civil trial, the facts are established with the purpose of assigning blame or awarding damages,” the update reads.

“The parties conduct separate investigations into an event, and they present their cases in front of a judge who has no prior knowledge of the event. Both sides are cross-examined, and ultimately a judge will decide who is guilty or who deserves compensation.”

“A public inquiry establishes facts not to assign blame, but to explore what happened and recommend changes so that changes can be made to improve systems or policies for the future. In the case of our work, we will explore the causes, context and circumstances giving rise to the April 2020 mass casualty so that we can deliver recommendations to help make communities safer in the future.”

Pineo said its important families are able to get answers to help with the healing process.

"They just want the truth, so they can get onto a path of bringing closure to this matter."

Although off limits to the public because of Covid-19 restrictions, interested parties will be able to view the proceedings online.

The commission will also post updates on its sitting dates.