RCMP cruisers parked in front of Portapique Beach Road during the NS mass shooting that claimed 22 lives in April 2020.

To make sure a tragedy like the 2020 Mass Shootings never happen again, there is a new committee to monitor the progress of the recommendations made by the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC). The MCC released their final 3,000-page report in March with over 130 recommendations.

The Progress Monitoring Committee will report regularly on how Canada and Nova Scotia, in collaboration with other partners, respond to the recommendations, helping ensure mutual accountability and the exchange of information.

The committee’s Terms of Reference was released, Monday, by both levels of Government and the committee’s Founding Chair, Linda Lee Oland.

“The events of April 2020 have had a profound impact on the families of victims, on survivors and on the Nova Scotia communities that are forever changed,” said Ms. Oland. “Countless Nova Scotians and Canadians have been impacted by this tragedy, and they deserve to see meaningful action toward stronger, safer communities. With these terms of reference, we have laid the groundwork for not only how the committee will operate, but also how progress will be monitored and reported going forward.”

Ms. Oland will recommend committee members to both levels of government and provide advice on terms and how to handle vacancies.

The committee will meet quarterly and report to the provincial and federal governments.

There is also a new website that will be updated at least every six months.

All members of the committee are expected to be appointed by September 1, with their first meeting also to be held in September.

“This is an important milestone as we continue our work to implement the Mass Casualty Commission’s recommendations. We are grateful for Ms. Oland’s leadership and her commitment to building a structure for this committee that supports partnership and collaboration as well as transparency and accountability,” Brad Johns, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nova Scotia.

“The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia are continuing to make progress on the commitment to address the recommendations outlined in the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission. Ms. Oland’s leadership will play a critical role as we work collectively to advance this vital work,” Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Government of Canada.

Terms of reference for the Progress Monitoring Committee: https://novascotia.ca/just/publications/docs/mass-casualty-commission-progress-monitoring-committee-terms.pdf

Support for communities impacted by the April 2020 mass casualty: https://novascotia.ca/community-support