Mr. Speaker, six months ago, the worst mass shooting in Canada's history tragically ended the lives of 22 Canadians in Nova Scotia. Victims' families rightly had questions and asked for a public inquiry. It was shocking when the public safety minister, backed by Liberal MPs from Nova Scotia, told them their losses were only worth an internal review. During immense grief that most of us can never imagine, families had to plead, protest and beg for months before the Liberals finally relented and agreed to a public inquiry.
In the rampage, Nick Beaton lost his pregnant wife, Kristen. About the Liberals' delays, he wrote:
Can [they] show a little bit of humility and just say, “We were wrong,” instead of trying to take credit for doing something someone else did? ...I’m overwhelmed with the love this country has shown me and the other families, but I’ll never understand why Liberals in positions of power have continued to add to our pain.
Today, the fight for a public inquiry continues.
Nothing can bring their loved ones back, but finally getting answers can help the families, their friends and their communities on their lifetime road to healing. It is long past due to respect the victims and their families, to show some compassion and to get on with a public inquiry.