June 24, 2022
This update shares information about the Commission’s progress and details for next week’s schedule including upcoming Commissioned Reports and roundtable discussions.
What Happened at Proceedings this Week
This past week, the Commission presented three more Foundational Documents furthering our understanding of post-event communications and supports. This includes how victims’ families sought information about their loved ones, the process of delivering next of kin notifications, the supports offered to survivors and those most affected, as well as what the RCMP and governments said publicly following the mass casualty. The Commission has now shared all 25 of the Foundational Documents related to what happened on April 18-19, 2020, reflecting the Commission’s understanding of the facts at this time. You can find all Foundational Documents along with supporting source materials on our website.
We also heard from more witnesses, including three RCMP members and one technical witness, and hosted a roundtable discussion regarding emergency communications and interoperability – or how emergency services agencies work together. If you missed the proceedings this week, you can watch the webcasts on our website.
On Monday, the Commission issued a decision regarding a media application to publish five surveillance videos depicting the encounter between RCMP members and the perpetrator at the Enfield Big Stop on April 19, 2020. They are available as source materials for the Enfield Big Stop Foundational Document. The videos contain scenes of violence, including discharging of firearms causing death. There is a “quick exit” button at the top of the website as well as Wellness Supports available.
What is Happening Next Week: Public Proceedings Schedule for the Week of June 27
Tuesday, June 28
- Roundtable: Needs of Family and Community After Mass Casualty Incidents
- Dr. Grete Dyb, Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo; Co-Author of Expert Report: Survivors and the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attack on Utøya Island, Norway
- Dr. Jaclyn Schildkraut, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the State University of New York at Oswego; Author of Expert Report: Supporting Survivors and Communities after Mass Shootings
- Levent Altan, Executive Director of Victim Support in Europe
- Mary Fetchet, President and Executive Director of Voices Center for Resilience
- Serena Lewis, former Northern Zone Grief Coordinator and Provincial Grief Consultant
- Dr. Megan McElheran, CEO of Wayfound Mental Health Group and Clinical Psychologist
- Dr. Terry Mitchell, Clinical and Community Psychologist
For more information about the roundtable members, visit the website.
Wednesday, June 29
- The Regimental Memorial Service for Cst. Heidi Stevenson is scheduled for this date. There will be no public proceedings of the Commission.
Thursday, June 30
- Roundtable: Needs of First Responders After Mass Casualty Incidents
- Dr. Arija Birze, Senior Research Associate, Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners
- Ms. Robin Campbell, PhD Candidate at Dalhousie University with research focused on the mental health of volunteer firefighters in rural Nova Scotia.
- Dr. Julie MacMillan-Devlin, former Program Evaluation Officer of the Operational Stress Injury Clinic in Fredericton, New Brunswick and manager of Psychological Services with the Ontario Provincial Police.
- Ms. Mary Fetchet, President and Executive Director, Voices Center for Resilience
- Dr. Alexandra Heber, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University
- Dr. Megan McElheran, CEO & Chief Clinical Psychologist, Wayfound Mental Health Group.
- Dr. Deborah Norris, Professor, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology at Mount Saint Vincent University.
- Roundtable: Rural Communities, Policing and Crime
- Dr. Karen Foster, Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University
- Dr. Jane McMillan, Chair of the Department of Anthropology, St. Francis Xavier University
- Dr. Anna Souhami, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Head of Criminology at the School of Law, University of Edinburgh
- Dr. Rose Ricciardelli, Professor in the Department of Sociology at Memorial University and an Associate Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment.
- Professor Rick Ruddell, Law Foundation of Saskatchewan Chair in Police Studies, University of Regina
- Dr. Signa Daum Shanks, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa
Phase 3 Commissioned Reports
An important part of the Commission’s work is to identify lessons learned from the April 2020 mass casualty, and to make recommendations to help make communities safer in the future. As we move toward the next phase of our work, considering findings and recommendations, the Commission is collecting information to assist in formulating effective recommendations. This includes some Commissioned Reports that we will share throughout our work. To see the list of reports, visit our website.
Stay Involved
- Share recommendations, research or ideas that could inform the final recommendations to help keep communities safer. You do not need to be an expert or policy maker to provide a meaningful submission. We want to hear from you if you have something to share that is related to the mandate and would be helpful for the Commission to consider. It can be anything from an academic article on an issue related to the mandate or a simple suggestion that you think would make your local community safer. We are accepting submissions until September 1, 2022.
- Watch the webcasts or listen to live audio from the proceedings by calling 1-877-385-4099 (toll free) and entering code 1742076 followed by the # sign. Recordings of the webcasts along with transcripts are available, so that you may engage in this work at a time that works best for you.
- Register to attend proceedings in person on the Commission’s website. The venues for public proceedings change periodically so please use the registration portal or website calendar to confirm locations on the date you wish to attend.
- Review Foundational Documents and their source materials that share the understanding of key facts and events leading up to and during the April 2020 mass casualty in Nova Scotia.
- Review Research and Commissioned Reports that explore the causes, context and circumstances giving rise to the mass casualty.
Please remember that supports are available if you or a loved one need them, both on-site at the proceedings and through the Commission’s website.
Sincerely,
The Mass Casualty Commission
Hon. J. Michael MacDonald, Chair
Leanne J. Fitch (Ret. Police Chief, M.O.M.)
Dr. Kim Stanton