Newly released audio recordings in the commission investigating the Nova Scotia mass shooting of 2020 of a meeting between law enforcement officials reveals RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki discussing the need to release information for the sake of advancing Liberal government firearms legislation.
Lucki had previously denied and attempted to downplay the degree to which political interference motivated her at times fiery conversation with other officials.
On the call, Lucki says that an unspecified “Minister” (presumed to be then-public safety minister Bill Blair) requested the firearm details be released and that she would ensure that the RCMP would reveal that information in an April 28, 2020 press conference conducted by Superintendent. Darren Campbell.
“I felt completely disrespected by the fact that I was told that Darren was going to talk about the guns in his speaking note, and as soon as I got confirmation I advised the Minister’s office and then it wasn’t there,” said Lucki.
Lucki said she “was very frustrated, very disappointed and I was feeling quite disrespected by what happened today and probably some of the stuff that’s happened this week.”
Supt. Campbell did not mention the firearms in his initial statement to the media, but did later reveal some firearms information upon being asked in the question and answer period. However, Lucki did not find this acceptable.
“I was told that there was a certain line that was gonna be used, it eventually was used in a question, when asked for a question, but I was expecting it to be part of the narrative that went forward,” said Lucki.
The RCMP was withholding the firearm details from the public, the commission previously heard, so as to not jeopardize the investigation into the firearm’s origins.
“Darren is not comfortable noting the make and or models of the weapons seized,” said the RCMP’s former head of communications Lia Scanlan, on the audio file.
In response, Lucki brought up Liberal firearm legislation as a reason for the RCMP to release the firearm details.
“Does anybody realize what’s going on in the world of handguns and guns right now?” said Lucki. “They’re in the middle of trying to get a legislation going, the fact that that legislation is supposed to actually help police.”
Lucki also complained that the “the Minister” and Prime Minister requested a timeline and map of the events and that the Nova Scotia RCMP did not provide said information on time.
“I was promised a chronology on Thursday afternoon for the Minister and the Prime Minister and I didn’t get that either,” said Lucki. “I didn’t get a map, and I didn’t get a chronology either.”
Former Nova Scotia RCMP commanding officer Lee Bergerman pushed back against Lucki, saying that Lucki’s request couldn’t be met on time despite RCMP officers working around the clock.
“All I can say is we worked tirelessly, all of us, on providing a proper and accurate timeline…with the equipment we had, which is why we ended up with such an excellent product,” said Bergerman.
“I realize that there was, there was a request for it to be done Thursday, but with what we had and we were putting all the effort in, we couldn’t get it all done on Thursday, but had the product ready to go, an accurate product on Friday.”
During a testimony before the House of Commons public safety and national security committee thi past summer, Lucki denied interfering in the investigation for political reasons.
“Let me begin, and let me clear. I did not interfere in the investigation around this tragedy,” Lucki said at the time. “Specifically, I was not directed to publicly release information about weapons used by the perpetrator to help advance pending gun control legislation.”
The audio recordings confirm the substance of previously disclosed handwritten notes taken by Supt. Campbell, which had formed the original allegations of interference on the part of Lucki.
A year after the call, Scanlan said in a publicly released email that Lucki’s conduct on the call was “appalling, unprofessional and extremely belittling.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in the summer, denied that his government put “any undue influence or pressure” on the RCMP.
“I still very much have… confidence in Commissioner Lucki,” Trudeau said at the time.
