It took almost five years, but a public investigation into the Westray crash eventually led to a report that was both humiliating and specific to the many failures that led to the 26-life blast.
He gave names and responsibilities and recommended changes to prevent this from happening again. Although no one has ever been convicted of a crime, Judge Peter Richard left no doubt that the behavior of individuals and institutions – characterized as incompetent, fraudulent and apathetic – has led to a preventable catastrophe.
And he went further, finding that it should have been prevented.
Many years later, the commission investigating the massacre in Nova Scotia in 2020 seems on the verge of producing a report that is unlikely to answer the most important public questions: How did it happen and why? Who in the RCMP made decisions during and after the murder and could it have been prevented?
The commission’s overarching mandate – to focus on trauma – suggests that the protection of feelings may precede the facts.
From the outset, the RCMP was defensive and secretive about dealing with the events of April 2020. The initial focus of RCMP briefings was on their own lost and wounded members and on what was characterized as the heroic efforts of responsible officers.
But honestly, this was not a triumph for the police, as the killer continued to kill while the public remained largely unaware of the threat.
It is not a sign of disrespect to analyze and question the actions of people who often heroically wear a uniform. The uniform is not a shield of responsibility. And while it is true that feelings must be respected when words are analyzed and actions critically reviewed, there is no escaping responsibility for those charged with protecting society.
Assigning responsibility is not vindictive guilt.
In the case of the events of April 2020, very serious mistakes were made. One would think or hope that the RCMP management and the people they report to will be the first to want to know what went wrong – if they don’t already know.
Beyond insulting the memories of the dead and further hurting the emotions of their family members, the mistaken attempt at feelings beyond the facts has provided oxygen to the already burning fire of suspicion of cover-up.
The lack of information from the beginning, the focus on mass murder as a police shooting, rather than the massacre in the community, was the kindling that ignited the fire of suspicion.
Although the committee’s hearings slowly led to new information, most of it had to be disclosed long ago and could have happened had it not been for the ease with which confidentiality is now used to maintain confidentiality.
Without even waiting to read the committee’s report, it seems likely that it will be rejected by some, and perhaps by many, as part of the cover-up.
And unfortunately, it has already taken quite some time to achieve very little.
It is not too late for the Commissioners to look at the Westray investigation, hold them accountable and put the facts first.
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