N.S. RCMP doubles down on allegations of political interference in shooting investigation

Members of the Nova Scotia RCMP, which first claimedpolitical interferenceduring the investigation into the largest mass shooting in Canadian history, said: I support their claims.

In recent months, then-Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair pressured RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lackey to , the firearms used in the April 18, 2020 shooting that claimed the lives of 22 people. Darren Campbell said in a meeting with Lucky on 28 April 2020 that the government wanted the information released because it was "related to pending gun control legislation." rice field.

READ MORE: Shooting Investigation — MPs Continue Hearings on Alleged Political Interference

Both Blair and Lucky have denied there was any political interference, but Campbell doubled down on his claims when he appeared before the House Public Safety Committee on Tuesday.

He said Lucky "promised" that Blair and Justin Trudeau's offices would contain information about the firearms used by the shooters. I did," he told the committee. Press conference on April 28, 2020.

"As detailed in my memo, premature disclosure could have negative consequences, so the information could not be released at that time, and the I tried to explain to the commissioner that it wouldn't affect the investigation," Campbell said Tuesday.

"At the time, the commissioner told my colleagues and me that we didn't understand. This was related to pending legislation to make police and the public safer.

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"The commissioner made me feel like I was stupid," he said.

"She did not seem to appreciate the importance of maintaining the integrity of the investigation." 75}

Speaking to the Public Safety Commission on July 25, Blair said, "I have not asked (the RCMP) to release any specific information, nor have I received any commitment to do so."

Lucky, on the other hand, told the same committee that his use of the term "promise" in his meeting with Campbell that day was a "misunderstanding." "I was about to tell the minister that I had confirmed with the minister that information about the weapon would be released during the press conference - a confirmation that was made based on the information I was provided," Lucky said. meeting.

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Lia Scanlan, director of strategic communications for the RCMP and the same political interference allegation, said the exact words were not as important as the message received.

"At the end of the day, I think whether you say promise, pressure or influence, it will lead to the same end result," she told the commission on Tuesday.

Less than two weeks after the massacre, Trudeau announced a ban on 1,500 makes and models of "assault-style firearms." This includes the one used by the Nova Scotia shooter.

This council order has been in the works for "several months," Blair said. told the committee on July 25.

Officials defend decision to withhold memo

It was the fact that Campbell's memo detailing the military intervention was not released to the mass casualties. several months of commission.

At a committee meeting on Tuesday, Justice Department officials defended the decision. The memo is part of a total of 35 pages and the Justice Department said it was initially withheld so it could ensure it did not contain classified information.

"Of the 35 pages, only four of his are relevant to the April 28 conference," said Deputy Minister of Justice François Daigle.

In the end, all four pages were produced "unedited," Daigle said, but the other 31 pages were also published with some redaction.