Advocates say gender-based violence still overlooked in N.S. mass shooting response
The chair of the monitoring committee said 30 recommendations still need to be addressed. Advocates say more needs to be done to deal with the culture of gender-based violence.
Advocates argue that gender-based violence remains under-addressed in the response to the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia. The final progress monitoring report on the implementation of recommendations from the inquiry included gender-based and intimate partner violence for the first time. Independent committee chair Myra Freeman noted that the province has made progress since 2020, but some believe more needs to be done to tackle the culture of violence.
Liz Leclair, an advocate against gender-based violence, pointed out that the shooting in April 2020 began as an incident of intimate partner violence, which she sees as a significant warning sign. Of the 130 recommendations released in 2023, 40 still require "significant work," according to Freeman. While Freeman acknowledges that change takes time and government cannot single-handedly address gender-based violence, Leclair contends that not enough is being done.
Kristina Fifield, a trauma therapist who sat on the monitoring committee, echoed Leclair's concerns, highlighting that survivors continue to experience harm and system-induced trauma. Premier Tim Houston affirmed the province's commitment to breaking down barriers and improving safety, but Leclair insists that front-line organizations need stable core funding to tackle systemic changes and advocacy work.
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