Desmond Fatality Inquiry Final Report

NOTE: The following is a statement from Attorney General and Justice Minister Brad Johns.

Earlier today, Judge Paul Scovil released his final report and recommendations related to the deaths of Aaliyah, Shanna, Brenda and Lionel Desmond.

What occurred in Upper Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, in January 2017 is nothing short of a tragedy. In the aftermath, many questions were raised about how this could have happened and what, if anything, might have prevented these deaths. I know family, friends and the community have waited too long for answers. They have been on our minds since that day and my thoughts are with them today.

The Province of Nova Scotia is committed to doing what we can to ensure something like this never happens again.

We will be reviewing the recommendations put forward, which have impacts across government and focus on public safety and policing, access to mental health treatment and supports, intimate partner and domestic violence, and how governments share information and support those who serve their country.

In the coming days and weeks, we will liaise with our federal counterparts on the recommendations beyond the purview of this inquiry related to areas of federal jurisdiction, such as Veterans Affairs.

We will also carefully consider how Judge Scovil’s recommendations interconnect with our actions in response to the April 2020 mass casualty and recommendations contained in the Mass Casualty Commission Final Report. Much work is underway across government to improve mental health services, raise awareness of and address intimate partner violence, and improve public safety in response to that report.

Our commitment to the Desmond family, their friends and the African Nova Scotian community is that we will learn from this tragedy and seriously consider the recommendations put forward in this final report. They have suffered an incomprehensible loss, and I hope the inquiry’s findings and the actions government takes to build safer communities will provide a step forward in the family’s healing process.

I want to thank Judge Scovil for his diligence and timely work completing and delivering his report. I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone who had a role in supporting this inquiry, particularly in completing hearings through the challenges of the pandemic.