A senior Mountie told a public inquiry Thursday that federal lawyers advised him not to disclose a call he received from the RCMP commissioner, who he says appeared to be motivated by a desire to use the mass shooting in Nova Scotia to bolster the support for Liberal gun control measures. Chief Inspector Chris Leather, testifying for a second day, said he believes that behind RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki’s insistence that police release details of the weapons used in the mass shooting that killed 22 people in April 2020. “That’s my impression,” he said, during cross-examination by Tom MacDonald, a lawyer representing the families of two victims. The Mountie said he came to that conclusion after a conference call with Commissioner Lucki nine days after the rampage. In that call, the Commissioner pressed the Nova Scotia RCMP to release details about the types of weapons the killer used, despite concerns it would jeopardize the investigation, according to notes from RCMP Chief Superintendent Darren Campbell, who the survey was published at the end of June. Head of Ministry Leather said the Commissioner had called him directly and pressed him to give her information about the guns just three days after the mass shooting and six days before the conference call. E-mails followed on the same subject. The Mountie admitted that he did not share any of that conversation with the investigation’s attorneys in a July 6, 2022, interview. RCMP commander says ‘any interference’ in NS mass shooting investigation ‘unacceptable’ During cross-examination Thursday by Michael Scott, an attorney representing most of the victims’ families, Chief Supt. Leather said he had not previously mentioned the call from Commissioner Lucki or the e-mails with the investigation at the time because federal Justice Department lawyers had suggested to him in early July that he take “a reactive stance.” “The advice I received was to preemptively not disclose the conversation and e-mails leading up to the April 28 meeting,” he testified. “I knew from my notes and e-mails that I had prepared and submitted that it was obviously relevant to what would become the infamous April 28 phone call and I was troubled by it and sought their advice and was advised to take a reactive stance.” . Opposition parties say the Liberals have tried to use the country’s worst mass shooting to help their legislative agenda and that the Justice Department has been reluctant to hand over politically damaging evidence requested by the Mass Casualties Commission. The lead attorney for the investigation said the Justice Department withheld for months the memos describing the April 28, 2020 meeting despite subpoenaing all relevant documents. Lori Ward, a lawyer for the federal Department of Justice and the RCMP, told the inquest Thursday that she believed there was a “misunderstanding” about the advice to the chief. Skin not to reveal the call from the Commissioner. She said she and another federal attorney believed she had a document related to the April 28, 2020, meeting that they needed to review because it might contain privileged information. “At no time did we advise Mr. Derma not to talk about it and not to tell the truth,” he said. Ms Ward said the document, which she did not describe in detail, would soon be revealed at the inquest. Commissioner Lucki denied interfering with the police investigation. He testified on Monday before a House of Commons committee that he did not remember promising then public safety minister Bill Blair that details of the weapons would be made public. He said he remembered using different words. Head of Ministry Leather also addressed the criminal charges brought against Lisa Banfield, the common-law wife of gunman Gabriel Wortman, who was accused of supplying him with ammunition. Those charges, filed in December 2020, were dismissed this week after Ms. Banfield completed Nova Scotia’s restorative justice program. Mr. Scott, the family’s attorney, asked the Mountie if the charges were intended to delay or obstruct the investigation. Rachel Young, a lawyer for the inquest, suggested the charges could be seen as an attempt to prevent a subpoena for evidence because it would be protected while any court case was active. Head of Ministry Leather categorically denied this suggestion. “The idea, even the feeling, of obstructing any service is foreign to me,” he said. The RCMP was well aware that the investigation had just been called, he testified, but it did not influence the decision to continue investigating evidence against Ms. Banfield. “We would pursue it to the best of our ability unless directed to do otherwise, and there are very few sources that can provide that kind of direction to stop an investigation,” he said. “We certainly received no such recommendation or direction from any authority above us to do so.” With a report by the Canadian Press Our Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
