October 13, 2021
This week’s update includes information about the Commission’s adjusted proceedings schedule and a look ahead as we plan for gathering the broad impacts of the mass casualty.
Thank you again to everyone who came out to our recent Open Houses in Debert, Truro, Millbrook, and Wentworth. We were pleased to have the opportunity to talk to more than 100 community members in-person. Your insight and feedback constantly improve our process. We posted a thank you and follow-up note and you can also download the materials shared if you were unable to attend.
At the Open Houses, some of you asked when the information we have gathered about what happened during the April 18-19, 2020 mass casualty in Nova Scotia will be shared with the public. Today, we announced the Commission’s adjusted proceedings schedule, which includes times for public proceedings in early 2022.
Our team is in the process of drafting a series of Foundational Documents. This work is complex and includes reviewing and analyzing thousands of documents and other information. As is often the case with public inquiries, disclosure of thousands of documents and materials is a time-consuming and ongoing process. In addition, witness interviews are still underway and new witnesses continue to come forward.
We are committed to providing detailed and accurate information to the public about what happened on April 18-19, 2020. For this reason, public proceedings will now begin in late January 2022, with hearings to start in February and continue in the following months. A calendar of proceedings for fall 2021 and winter 2022 is available on the Commission website. The Commission continues to be on track to complete its interim report in May 2022 and its final report by November 2022.
This adjusted schedule will give more time for Participants involved in the first phase of the Commission’s work (establishing What Happened) to review the evidence and information and provide input to the draft Foundational Documents. A list of the Foundational Documents for the Phase 1 work is available on the Commission’s website.
Other community members at the Open Houses asked for more information on the Commission’s work and how they could share information that may help our investigation. We have added some new pages on our website to help explain key terms, and a calendar of upcoming proceedings. We are thankful that people are coming forward and as we have said, there truly is no fact too small. We are ready to listen and continue to encourage anyone with information who would like to speak with a member of our team to contact us at info@MassCasualtyCommission.ca or call either 902-407-7532 (local) or 1 833-635-2501 to set up a time.
In the weeks and months ahead, as we continue to work to understand what happened, along with why and how, we recognize that sometimes reading or hearing about a distressing or emotionally overwhelming experience can be upsetting and disturbing. If you need support at any point during the Commission’s process, the Commission’s Mental Health team is here to help by:
- Connecting you with mental health services and other support providers, or listening to feedback on the supports available
- Sharing information on ways you can continue building resiliency
You can contact our mental health team through the Commission’s main contact information and access resources anytime through the Wellness Support section on our website.
Sincerely,
The Mass Casualty Commission
Hon. J. Michael MacDonald, Chair
Leanne J. Fitch (Ret. Police Chief, M.O.M.)
Dr. Kim Stanton