NSNDP Leader’s statement on the 6th anniversary of the Nova Scotia mass casualty

HALIFAX –Today, NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender made the following statement:

“This weekend marks six years since we lost 22 Nova Scotians in the mass casualty that began in Portapique. We pause to remember the lives taken, to honour who they were, and to stand with the families and communities who continue to carry these losses every day.

Six years on, the impact of this senseless tragedy is still being felt across Nova Scotia. Grief does not follow a timeline, and healing is ongoing.

Communities, advocates, and survivors have pushed for change – and their voices have led to important steps forward. Recognizing intimate partner violence as an epidemic in Nova Scotia is one example of that progress. But we also know that building safer communities requires sustained commitment.

The Mass Casualty Commission laid out clear recommendations, including the need for expanded mental health supports, trauma-informed care, and a coordinated, society-wide response to gender-based violence. At a time when this work remains unfinished, it is disappointing to see budget cuts to programs connected to these efforts, including supports for trauma-informed care, community-based mental health initiatives, and specialized domestic violence courts.

This is a time for remembrance, and also for reflection on the responsibility we all share moving forward. We owe it to those we lost, and to those who continue to live with the impacts of violence, to keep doing this work.

We will always remember Tom Bagley, Kristen Beaton, Greg Blair, Jamie Blair, Joy Bond, Peter Bond, Lillian Campbell, Corrie Ellison, Gina Goulet, Dawn Gulenchyn, Frank Gulenchyn, Alanna Jenkins, Sean McLeod, Lisa McCully, Heather O'Brien, Jolene Oliver, Aaron Tuck, Emily Tuck, Const. Heidi Stevenson, E. Joanne Thomas, John Zahl, and Joey Webber. May their memories be a blessing.”

Anniversaries like this can be a difficult time. Anyone looking for support or resources can call 211 to reach a community resource navigator. For mental health crisis help, you can call the provincial mental health and addictions crisis line at 1-888-429-8167.

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