Senator says Portapique review isn’t enough
Four of the province’s senators say a review of the Portapique massacre isn’t good enough.
Provincial and federal officials announced a joint independent review- instead of a public inquiry- Thursday.
Senator Mary Coyle, who’s from Antigonish, says a review doesn’t have the required scope.
Coyle tells The Hawk it’s not what anyone wanted.
“We all are disappointed that the announcement is not what we had asked for,” she says. “More importantly, (it) is not what the victim’s families have asked for.”
A gunman killed 22 people through Colchester Co. in April.
Coyle says only a public inquiry has the teeth to get the job done.
“A full, open and transparent, comprehensive, jointly-led public inquiry- not a review.”
Coyle says the review can’t get the answers we need because it lacks the power to compel witness testimony, and it won’t be fully transparent.
She says there are people who should testify beyond those within the jurisdiction of Mark Furey, the province’s justice minister and Bill Blair, the federal public safety minister.”
Both Furey and Blair committed those working under them- and specifically named the RCMP and municipal police forces- to fully comply with the review.
Coyle says those not within the ministers’ jurisdiction can still refuse the call of a review.
