The push for a public inquiry into the mass killings that devastated Nova Scotia in April will not go away without a fight.
A 22-minute Canada-wide strike is planned for Monday at noon to persuade governments to move to a public inquiry into the shooting rampage that led to 22 deaths.
“Despite public demands, despite Senate demands and, most importantly, despite demands of the families of the victims, our minister of justice has refused to do what is absolutely necessary and call a comprehensive public inquiry,” said Martha Paynter, chairwoman of the Women’s Wellness Within organization.
The joint federal and provincial government decision announced Thursday is that a three-person independent review panel will delve into the mass shooting. Families of the victims, whose continued call for a transparent and open public inquiry culminated in a public rally that drew 300 people to Bible Hill on Wednesday, have said the review is a slap in the face.
In response, Paynter’s group has organized a general strike for Monday at noon, asking people to join in person at Victoria Park in Halifax or online to demand that federal and provincial leaders launch a public inquiry instead of the independent review.
“Obviously, people are saying that they have something to hide,” Paynter said of a possible motive for announcing a review instead of an inquiry.
“I think it’s more that this (provincial) government does not take seriously the violence that women experience and the ineffectiveness of policing as the way we seek justice in our world.”
22 reasons
Over the weekend, Women’s Wellness Within is circulating 22 reasons that a public inquiry must be launched.
“Twenty-two people, including a pregnant woman, were murdered in less than 24 hours and each of these murders was preventable,” Paynter said, reciting one of the 22 reasons.
“Because rural women face a higher risk of domestic violence,” is another reason.
“It’s an unfathomable loss, this massacre, the worst shooting massacre in our lifetimes and the response by our government is so anemic, scandalously immoral."
Martha Paynter, Women's Wellness Within
“Because only recommendations from a public inquiry can be enforced,” Paynter said. “Because criminalized communities, sex workers, people who use drugs, trans, Black, Indigenous and racialized people have taught us that policing has never been about our safety.
“Because ex-police should not investigate police, because we demand accountability, transparency and justice.”
Advocating for accountability that goes beyond the events of April 18 and 19, Paynter said Women’s Wellness Within “has been calling for and supporting the movement to defund police for a long time and we contribute to the current policing policy working group that is working to improve transparency about police operations for the public.”
Systemic policing problems
Paynter said the group believes that policing has “systemic structural problems and that society has to take a hard look at why we turn to this solution when it is no solution at all.”
“We have to reckon with the fact that this non-transparency kills people, police are operating in a way across this country that is killing people” Paynter said.
“It’s an unfathomable loss, this massacre, the worst shooting massacre in our lifetimes and the response by our government is so anemic, scandalously immoral. It’s not just an insult to those families, it’s an insult to everyone of us who has been working in anti-violence work, every woman, every person who has endured violence with intimate partners in the home and from police.”
Paynter said the most condescending part of government’s justification for the independent review was that it would be more timely and would spare families additional trauma.
“I have come to expect that kind of patronizing tone,” she said. “That the minister would take that approach to the families of these murdered victims is beyond the pale.”
Paynter said she’s hopeful that the Victoria Park gathering will attract hundreds and she “definitely” thinks the decision can be turned around.
“It might even be turned around before we get to this strike on Monday, that would be fabulous.”
If so, Paynter said, “we’ll gather anyway and honour those who have died.”
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