The family of an 85-year-old man reported missing on Tuesday by Pictou County District RCMP, is reporting that he has been located and is safe.
A senior R-C-M-P official told a public inquiry into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia she was “glad” an emergency alert was not sent out during the killer’s 13-hour rampage that claimed 22 lives.
Lia Scanlan told the inquiry she felt an alert broadcast on radio, T-V and smartphones about the gunman dressed as a Mountie and driving a replica police cruiser would have put R-C-M-P members in harm’s way.
In a transcript of the interview released Tuesday, Scanlan says people in the rural area where the killings began handle things themselves and her gut told her an alert would have led to more dead officers.
Meanwhile, a former R-C-M-P public information officer testified at the inquiry about a nearly half hour delay in releasing a tweet describing the killer’s replica R-C-M-P vehicle.
Jennifer Clarke received approval to send the tweet from Staff Sergeant Steve Halliday at 9:49 a-m on April 19th, 2020, but it wasn’t sent until 10:17 a-m after she had sought approval from her communications superior.
Clarke told the inquiry that in the interim she was pacing the floor, calling it the “longest 27 minutes of my life.”
An inquiry foundational document does not provide an explanation, and Clarke didn’t offer one, but she says she sent three emails to draw attention to the proposed tweet.
More licensed practical nurses can now further their education to become registered nurses more quickly in Nova Scotia.
Eligibility criteria is being expanded to allow more LPNs to qualify for bachelor of science, nursing programs at Cape Breton University and St. FX.
The programs allow LPNs who meet academic, work experience and other licensing requirements to use their existing education and experience to more quickly complete the Bachelor of Science nursing program and become RNs.
Eligibility is being expanded to include LPN graduates from out-of-province programs, as well as graduates from Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) from before 2008.
Previously, only NSCC graduates from 2008 or later were eligible.
Changes take effect for students beginning their studies in the 2022-23 academic year. It is estimated that about 4,400 Nova Scotia LPNs could now be eligible.
The provincial government and the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia are working together to develop a new strategic plan for tourism in the province.
The province says it will establish a “new vision” for the sector taking into consideration the needs of businesses and organizations and traveler preferences and expectations.
Consultation with the tourism industry is to begin this summer.
According to the province, annual tourism revenues are estimated at about one billion dollars for the last two years and are not expected to recover to 2019 levels of around 2.6 billion dollars until after 2024.
