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Key recommendations of Nova Scotia mass shooting inquiry

Mar. 30, 2023, Truro, N.S. – Here are some of the main recommendations from the public inquiry into the mass shooting that claimed 22 lives in Nova Scotia on April 18-19, 2020:

– An external, independent review of the RCMP, including a review of the contract system under which the RCMP provide policing services to much of rural Canada.

– After the review, identification by the federal public safety minister of tasks that are suitable to a federal policing agency and ones that are better reassigned to other agencies.

– Closing of the RCMP’s training depot in Regina and establishment of a Canadian Police College. The RCMP should phase out the depot model by 2032 and create a three-year degree-based model of police education for all police services in Canada.

– A review of the RCMP’s critical incident response training, to be completed within six months.

– Revision of the RCMP’s national communications policies to state clearly that the objective is to provide accurate information about its operations, and in particular to respond to media questions in a timely and complete manner.

– A national framework for public alerting systems led by Public Safety Canada, with provinces continuing to operate the systems, but “pursuant to national standards.”

– The creation by the federal government by September of a National Resource Hub for Mass Casualty Responses to provide victim services, build capacity to respond to mass casualties and develop a standard for victim responses.

– A declaration that gender-based violence is a national “epidemic” and a public health approach needs be taken to violence against women. “Stable core funding” for groups that help women survivors, along with the creation of a national commissioner for gender-based violence.

– Amendments to the Firearms Act to require a licence to have ammunition and to limit people to owning ammunition for the weapon they are licensed to have.

– Federal limits on stockpiling ammunition.

– Rapid action by the federal government to reduce the number of prohibited semi-automatic firearms in circulation in Canada.

– Creation by the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia by May 31 of a body to ensure its recommendations are implemented.