Participants are individuals or groups who applied and were found to have a substantial and direct interest in the subject matter of the Commission’s work.
Who are the Participants?
To be granted Participation, applicants needed to explain their connection to the mass casualty, and/or their experience and knowledge in areas that relate to the Commission’s mandate. This information demonstrated whether they had a substantial and direct interest in the subject matter of the Commission.
In total, the Commissioners granted 61 individuals and groups the opportunity for appropriate participation in the inquiry including those most affected, family members of the deceased, first responders and a number of groups and organizations. Both the federal and Nova Scotian governments are also Participants, as directed in the Orders in Council.
A recording of the Participation Decision announced via live webcast on Thursday, May 13, 2021 is available at the bottom of this page. You can read the full documentation of the Participation Decision, along with the Participation Decision Addendum, Participation Decision Addendum II, Participation Decision Addendum III, Participation Decision Addendum IV and Participation Addendum Decision V. The Addenda reflect changes to the Participation Decision regarding Participant status, funding or other changes that occurred after May 13, 2021.
-
Those Most Affected, Individuals & Governments
The Orders in Council direct that certain groups of people who were most affected by the mass casualty would be granted the right to participate, if they so choose. Those granted Participation include families of the deceased, witnesses and other individuals most affected, as well as the Government.
Those Most Affected
Participant Counsel
Family of Aaron Tuck, Jolene Oliver and Emily Tuck
Family of Lillian Campbell
Represented by Burchell MacDougall LLP
Family of Gina Goulet
Represented by Lenehan Musgrave LLP
Family of Joy and Peter Bond
Represented by Chester Law
Family of Lisa McCully
Family of Sean McLeod
Family of Alanna Jenkins
Family of Jamie Blair
Family of Greg Blair
Family of Corrie Ellison
Clinton Ellison
Richard Ellison
Family of Tom Bagley
Family of Kristen Beaton
Family of Joey Webber
Family of John Zahl
Family of Elizabeth Thomas
Families of Dawn Madsen & Frank Gulenchyn
Family of Heather O’Brien
Carole and Adam Fisher
Leon Joudrey
Bernie Murphy
Deb Thibeault
Mallory Colpitts
Darrell Currie
Greg Muise
Represented by Patterson Law
Tara Long
Self-represented
Bev Beaton
Represented by MDW Law
Andrew and Kate MacDonald
Represented by Stockwoods LLP
Lisa Banfield
Represented by Lockyer Zaduk Zeeh
Governments
Participant Counsel
Attorney General of Canada
Represented by the Department of Justice Canada
Attorney General of Nova Scotia
Represented by the Department of Justice Nova Scotia
Individuals
Dr. Sara Jodi McDavid
-
Group Applicants
A number of groups and organizations were granted participation in the Commission’s process based upon their experience and knowledge in areas that relate to the mandate. In order to efficiently benefit from their contributions while making the best use of funding, some Participants were grouped into coalitions according to their purpose, focus and characteristics.
The groups include Victim Advocacy Organizations, Health-Related Organizations, Firearm Organizations, Justice Organizations, Gender-Based Organizations and Police-Related Organizations.
Victim Advocacy Organizations
Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime (OFOVC)
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police --National Working Group Supporting Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence (CACP NWG)
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime (CRCVC) – Represented by by Foord Law
Health-Related Organizations
Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union (NSNU)
Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) - Represented by Pink Larkin Lawyers/Avocats
Along the Shore Health Board
Firearm Organizations
Canadian Coalition for Gun Control (CCGC)
Canadian National Firearm Association (CNFA)
Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights (CCFR)
Justice Organizations
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA)
East Coast Prison Justice Society (ECPJS)
Gender-Based Organizations
Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia
Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, Avalon Sexual Assault Centre and Women’s Wellness Within (Coalition) - Represented by Sullivan Breen Defence
Feminists Fighting Femicide
Persons Against Non-State Torture
Women’s Shelters Canada, Transition House Association of Nova Scotia and Be the Peace Institute (Coalition) - Represented by Megan Stephens Law, Hicks LeMoine Law and Shawna Paris-Hoyte
Police-Related Organizations
National Police Federation (NPF) - Represented by Nijhawan McMillan Petrunia
Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association (NSCPA)
RCMP Veterans’ Association of Nova Scotia (VANS)
Truro Police Service (TPS) - Represented by Burchell MacDougall
Atlantic Police Association (APA)
Canadian Police Association (CPA) - Represented by Pink Larkin Lawyers/Avocats
What is the role of Participants?
The Rules of Practice and Procedure (“the Rules”) were developed collaboratively with Participants to ensure everyone has a common understanding of the roles, processes and approach for public proceedings—including public hearings, roundtables, panels and community meetings.
The role of a Participant varies based on how their contribution will help the Commission fulfill its mandate. Some Participants are more involved in Phase 1 work—helping the Commission understand what happened on April 18 and 19, 2020. Others are more involved in Phase 2 and 3—exploring the broader context of why and how the mass casualty happened and contributing to recommendations.
Participant contributions can include engaging in the hearings, providing written submissions, and taking part in roundtable discussions. Participants are entitled to commission their own reports, or put research before the Commission. They can also able provide the Commission with questions or areas they wish to have explored with a person providing oral evidence at a hearing.
As the Commission’s work continues, the Commission will hear from Participants about how the facts established in Phase 1, primarily through the Foundational Documents, relate to broader questions surrounding the mass casualty and recommendations for change. To learn more about the steps to create Foundational Documents, visit our Foundational Documents webpage.