Question Period Note: Nova Scotia Shooting Incident – RCMP Project Team

On June 14, 2021, a CBC article was published, entitled “RCMP review hiring of 2 staffers helping prepare for mass shooting inquiry”.

• I am aware of concerns related to the perceived conflict of interest on the RCMP Project Team response to the Mass Casualty Commission investigating the Nova Scotia Mass Shooting incident.

• The Mass Casualty Commission is completely independent, and the RCMP has reallocated experts internally to the RCMP Project Team to assist in the response to the Mass Casualty Commission.

• The RCMP’s staffing and assignment processes include measures to avoid conflicts of interest, and RCMP members are always subject to the Code of Conduct and their oaths of office, and are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards as they carry out their assigned duties.

• The RCMP is reviewing the resource assignment in question to determine the processes followed and any potential next steps.

• The RCMP recognizes the importance of providing a full factual account of what transpired in April 2020. The RCMP Project Team will continue to provide its full support to the Mass Casualty Commission towards a full accounting of the truth of what happened for the families of the victims and the public.

On June 14, 2021, a CBC article was published highlighting that two members of the RCMP project team responsible for the response to the Mass Casualty Commission [Redacted].

Mike Butcher is a retired police officer who served 28 years with the RCMP and another 5 ½ years as a BC Provincial police officer. He has been working on contract as a public servant with the RCMP since 2009 and since 2013 has been working for British Columbia RCMP. He was seconded from the BC RCMP to the Nova Scotia RCMP project team in May 2021 because of his expertise in disclosure and policing, although he continues to do work remotely for the BC RCMP as well. Mr. Butcher has access to RCMP office space as do all members of the project team. [Redacted].

The RCMP is reviewing this resource assignment to determine whether all appropriate processes were followed.

The team that was formerly referred to as the Issues Management Team, is now called the RCMP project team responsible for the response to the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC). The team’s first objective is to collect and disclose, through the Department of Justice Canada (DOJ), information the RCMP has, that is required by the MCC. The second objective is to facilitate the MCC’s engagement with RCMP witnesses, and to ensure the RCMP provides them with appropriate support throughout the inquiry process. The third objective is to identify areas within the police response to this tragedy that may require further examination and possible action by the RCMP, whether from a training, policy, procedural, resourcing or equipment perspective. All of these objectives are a work in progress. The project team is also supporting legislated safety investigations, through disclosure of information and, facilitation of interviews of RCMP employees.

The RCMP has established a project team (HSTRONG II) responsible for collection and disclosure, through DOJ Litigation Counsel, of relevant information in the RCMP’s possession relating to the mass shooting and circumstances around it. C/Supt. Robin is the Officer in Charge of the project team. As it relates to staffing levels, the project team has a coordination function and is supported by other RCMP employees as required, both in Nova Scotia and in Ottawa. Numbers of staff (civilian and regular members) are flexible depending on the work required.

The work of the Project Team is monitored and overseen by senior leadership of the Contract and Indigenous Policing business line at RCMP National Headquarters. Internal resource allocation decisions are made on the basis of a number of factors, including availability, relevant experience, operational priorities and the requirements of the specific role. The RCMP’s staffing and assignment processes include measures to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest, such as ensuring selection decisions are made by the appropriate authority and that the candidate has appropriate qualifications for the role. It is not unusual for couples to be employed by the RCMP in a variety of roles, including operational policing and management. As they transfer to new posts, care is taken to ensure that, in alignment with policy, there is no direct reporting relationship between them.

At all times, RCMP members are subject to the Code of Conduct and their oaths of office and are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards as they carry out their assigned duties. The RCMP has a comprehensive conflict of interest policy that mirrors and supplements Treasury Board policy in order to guide behaviour when it comes to actual, apparent or potential conflicts of interest. Beyond general conflict of interest guidelines, the policy covers a broad range of scenarios that include such topics as interpersonal workplace relationships and the avoidance of preferential treatment, to name a few. The policy provides guidance and direction for employees and managers to aid in making decisions that maintain the highest ethical standards and conserve and enhance public confidence in the integrity, honesty, professionalism, compassion, respect, and accountability of the RCMP.

The Mass Shooting Incident
On April 18-19, 2020, a sequence of shooting incidents occurred at multiple locations in Nova Scotia, resulting in deaths of 22 innocent people at the hands of a gunman. Three (3) people were also injured. Some of those who lost their lives did so while trying to save others. They are heroes. This tragedy also resulted in the death in the line of duty of RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson, who was responding to the shooting. Another RCMP officer, Constable Chad Morrison, received non-life-threatening injuries. The suspected perpetrator, Gabriel Wortman, is deceased. Another incident took place at the Onslow Belmont Fire Brigade hall whereby two RCMP officers discharged their firearms on another officer and a civilian, who they mistook for the gunman.

The events that took place on April 18 and 19, 2020, were rapidly evolving and dynamic, which has increased the complexity of the investigation. Due to the circumstances, and given multiple crime scenes, no timeline for the completion of the investigation can be given at this time.

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