N.S. mass shooting: Progress committee releases second report, says much work remains

The second report monitoring progress on the N.S. Mass Casualty Commission’s recommendations was released on Thursday.

The Progress Monitoring Committee (PMC) that tracks advancements made in relation to the Mass Casualty Commission’s 130 recommendations has released its second report.

Myra Freeman, the chair of the PMC, says a lot of work has happened over the past two years, but adds there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“The committee has now been in place for just over two years, and a lot of work has happened in that time,” said Freeman.

“The memories of those who were taken from us on April 18 and 19, 2020, continue to guide our work. There is still a lot of work ahead, but I am encouraged by the high priority the federal and provincial governments, and the RCMP, are putting on addressing the commission’s recommendations.”

This is the second of three reports Freeman and the PMC will release as part of their mandate to track and report on the progress being made by the federal and provincial governments and the RCMP, when it comes to the list of recommendations.

Freeman said the committee met nine times over the last two years and received 14 presentations from government and the RCMP.

The PMC was jointly formed in 2023 by both the provincial and federal governments to monitor and report publicly on the implementation of the MCC’s final report, called “Turning the Tide Together.”

Their work has focused on key areas including emergency readiness, mental health support, victim support, regulatory oversight of health professions, RCMP governance, public warning systems and support for victims of gender-based violence.

“There is a significant amount of work ahead for the provincial and federal governments and the RCMP,” said Freeman. “However, we are pleased with the progress to date with much of the work to meet the MCC’s recommendations now being marked as ‘initiated or well underway.’”

Freeman expects to see much more progress over the span of the next year when they deliver their final report.

A major focus of the final report will be around recommendations and progress made regarding issues of gender-based and intimate partner violence and access to firearms.

“I cannot say that any one recommendation is more important than the other, because every single one of them is important,” said Freeman. “Some things are taking longer because they are complex and because they are cultural shifts and those things can’t be changed instantly.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston thanked the PMC for their continued oversight, saying he is pleased with the results so far.

“These are complex and interconnected issues we are trying to resolve,” said Houston in a press release. “Along with addressing the epidemic of intimate partner violence and the causes of violence, we must also break down systemic barriers and improve the safety and resilience of communities.”

The work being done is in response to the April 2020 killings in Portapique and other parts of central Nova Scotia, when a lone gunman disguised as a police officer killed 22 innocent people over a 13-hour shooting rampage.

Police along with the RCMP’s tactical unit eventually caught up with the suspect, who was shot and killed outside of a truck stop and gas station along Highway 102 in Enfield, N.S.

As the PMC enters the final year of its mandate, Freeman says it will be important that all parties involved continue to build on the momentum being made to ensure the recommendations are fully realized.

“The work to create meaningful change is a long-term project that will outlive this committee,” said Freeman.

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