Bill Blair said that while serving as public safety minister it was his job to gather information on how the RCMP responded to the worst mass shooting in Canadian history, but said he did not interfere politically in the investigation.
Blair, who now serves as emergency preparedness minister, was chased by reporters’ questions on Wednesday over a letter that Lia Scanlan, the former director of communications for the Nova Scotia RCMP, sent to Commissioner Brenda Lucki .
Sent around the one-year anniversary of the shootings and published on Tuesday, the letter alleges that Lucki told Nova Scotia staff he was under pressure to make public the types of weapons the man used. armed in the attack that killed 22 people. .
The letter refers to a meeting between Lucki and Nova Scotia RCMP staff on 28 April 2020, where Scanlan says Lucki informed the group of “the pressures and the conversation with [then public safety] Minister Blair “.
“I remember a feeling of disgust when I realized that this was the catalyst for the conversation,” Scanlan said in his April 14, 2021 letter.
“I couldn’t believe what you, the leader of our organization, was saying and I was ashamed to be aware of what was going on. It was scary, unprofessional and extremely contemptuous.”
Blair repeatedly said there was no interference and “there was no pressure on the investigation.”
“My job as then-Minister of Public Safety was to make sure that information was gathered on behalf of the Government of Canada regarding the police response,” he said.
“I know very clearly that the line between government responsibility for government and RCMP oversight is to give direction in no way, and at no point did I cross that line or any member of my government, in giving direction to the commissioner. of the RCMP “.
Lia Scanlan, former Nova Scotia RCMP communications director, sent a letter to RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki last year calling her behavior “horrible, unprofessional and extremely despicable”. (Andrew Vaughan / The Canadian Press)
Scanlan’s letter echoes the notes released last week by the superintendent. Darren Campbell on the same subject.
Campbell alleged that Lucki said he had promised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Blair that the RCMP would publish information on the types of weapons used by the shooter.
He also noted that Lucki expressed that “this was tied to pending gun control legislation that would make agents and the public safer.”
Campbell’s notes also said he believed disclosing information about the types of weapons could jeopardize research into how the shooter obtained his weapons.
On May 1, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on some 1,500 brands and models, including the two weapons used in the Nova Scotia mass shooting. At the time, police had not disclosed the specific brands and models used in the attacks.
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Scanlan wrote that within the Nova Scotia division, the RCMP promised to share any new information with the families of the victims in front of the media to prevent them from being re-victimized, and details of the weapons have not yet been released. they had shared with them.
“It was all political pressure,” Scanlan said
It’s not the only time Scanlan has made allegations of political pressure.
In an interview with commission investigators earlier this year, he said Blair and the prime minister “were thinking about what we could and couldn’t say.”
He said Lucki was advised not to do media interviews, but he did anyway and in doing so gave inaccurate information.
Lucki initially shared that 17 people were killed, according to information the RCMP had confirmed internally, when local commanders only said “more than 10” people were killed in a press conference on the night of December 19. April.
“She came out and did it and she knew it very well, and it was all political pressure,” Scanlan said.
“This is 100% Minister Blair and the Prime Minister and we have a commissioner who is not backing down.”
In addition to Scanlan’s letter, the commission also published handwritten notes from former assistant commissioner Lee Bergerman, who has since retired from his role as commander of the Nova Scotia RCMP and deputy director in cap. Chris Leather, who was second in command in April 2020, on Tuesday.
Bergerman’s notes listed who attended the meeting on April 28, 2020 and included the phrase “angry at the lack of details about the weapons,” but not who made the comment.
Leather’s notes said the meeting with Lucki dealt with “the firearms used” and noted “an adjustment to include firearms information in speech notes.”
He also noted that one issue that arose was concern about the “flow of information”.
Lucki laments the “effects of my words”
In a statement issued Tuesday night, Lucki said she was frustrated by the flow of information after the shooting, but maintains there was no political interference.
“It was an extremely difficult time and I expressed frustration with the flow of information. I regret the effects my words had on those involved in that meeting,” he wrote.
“I know there are questions about political interference. There was certainly a need for a timely and accurate exchange of information with the Government of Canada and I have strived to do so. However, I want to emphasize again that by no means did I seek to interfere with the ongoing investigation, nor did I feel any political pressure to do so. “
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said she was frustrated by the flow of information after the shooting, but maintains there was no political interference. (Chris Wattie / The Canadian Press)
Blair said he was unaware of the conversations Lucki had with his staff.
“The RCMP commissioner has also acknowledged that he had a difficult conversation with his own people,” he said.
“But I can tell you with absolute certainty that me and my government did not give any operational direction or interfere in any way with the investigation or the police response.”
The allegations have sparked a political storm in Ottawa and led to an upcoming parliamentary hearing to address allegations of possible political interference.
At a separate press conference on Tuesday, current Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino was asked if the latter scandal has damaged confidence in Mountie Maximum.
“Well, on the easiest days being the RCMP commissioner is hard. It’s a big job,” he said.
“I know the commissioner works every day to work with her leadership team as well as with core members of the RCMP.”
Affected family lawyer
Lucki is expected to appear before the Mass Victims Commission this summer, where he will testify under oath.
Michael Scott, of Patterson Law, the company that represents the families of most of the shooting victims, said he was concerned about possible political interference. He said it would be helpful for participants at the April 28 meeting to confirm “exactly what was said” to eliminate any debate on this point.
“Then we’ll have some real questions about what involvement the Ottawa-based RCMP had in this investigation, because we would be very concerned about using the mass casualty event as a kind of political opportunity,” Scott told reporters at the consultation on Tuesday.