Ottawa initially refused to hold joint inquiry into mass killing: N.S. minister

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s justice minister says he privately pushed Ottawa for a full federal-provincial public inquiry into the April mass shooting but federal officials initially rejected the idea.

Mark Furey says that’s why the province chose to go along with the less rigorous independent review announced last week.

That move was widely criticized, and it was reversed Tuesday with the creation by Ottawa and the province of a joint public inquiry.

Furey did not say why Ottawa was opposed to a joint public inquiry — and federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair could not be reached for comment.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil also confirmed Ottawa had initially refused to budge on the province’s request.

After a cabinet meeting Thursday, McNeil did not answer directly when asked why his government did not publicly declare what type of investigation it favoured until a few hours before the change was made on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2020.

The Canadian Press