OTTAWA, ON, March 28, 2024 /CNW/ - The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, today issued the following statement:

"Today, I released the Government of Canada's response to the Final Report of the Mass Casualty Commission, Turning the Tide Together, published on March 30, 2023.

The Final Report delved into the circumstances surrounding the mass shooting that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020 and claimed the lives of 22 Canadians. Our thoughts are with their families and the community today, as they have been throughout the process of developing this government response.

The Final Report contained 130 recommendations that called for transformative change to better prevent and respond to critical incidents and mass casualty events in the future, and make Canadian communities safer. I want to thank the Commission's Chair, the Honourable J. Michael MacDonald, former Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, as well as Commissioners Leanne J. Fitch (Ret. Police Chief, M.O.M.) and Dr. Kim Stanton for their work.

The Government of Canada's response outlines the work that has been done to address the recommendations where the federal government can act or lead. It  includes new investments totaling $76.7 million over the next five years as well as $10.2 million provided annually thereafter to support community safety and policing. The Government of Canada has also delivered on a number of recommendations including jointly appointing, with the Province of Nova Scotia, a Founding Chair and members to an independent Progress Monitoring Committee (PMC), for a period of three years.

Moving forward, the PMC will monitor and publicly report on the work that the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia are doing to further address the Mass Casualty Commission's recommendations.  

The Government of Canada will continue to provide national leadership on a whole-of-society response to the Commission's recommendations and work with all orders of government to keep Canadians safe."

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada