OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada joins with all Canadians today to remember the 22 people killed and three others injured during the mass shooting that unfolded across 16 locations in Portapique, Nova Scotia between April 18 and 19 last year.
“Today,our hearts are with the families and loved ones of the victims of this terrible crime that shocked people in Canada,” said Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. “While the passage of time may provide some measure of healing, the collective trauma experienced by the residents of this small, rural community will remain for a long time.
“The commission of inquiry, formally known as the Mass Casualty Commission, will not erase the suffering, but we hope that it can help to clarify the context and circumstances that led to this event and recommend measures to prevent anything like it from ever happening again. So many questions remain unanswered, and survivors and the families of the deceased should have confidence that every shred of evidence will be examined.
“As we remember the people who lost their lives a year ago, it is also important to recognise that the attacks that unfolded on that day originated in domestic violence. Femicide has increased at an alarming rate both in Canada and around the world, and we must increase support and investment in community initiatives that help to prevent violence against women, and aggression in all its forms.”
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