A former lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia has been appointed to lead the committee tracking how governments and the R-C-M-P are responding to the inquiry into the 2020 mass shooting that claimed 22 lives. The Nova Scotia and federal governments say Myra Freeman will replace chairwoman Linda Lee Oland, whose one-year term ends May 31st. Freeman served as the province’s first female lieutenant-governor from 2000 to 2007, and her latest appointment is scheduled to conclude on August 31st, 2026, when the committee is expected to finish its work. The role of the Progress Monitoring Committee is to monitor the implementation of the 130 recommendations from the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission, which was released on March 30th, 2023.
A program aimed at curbing gender-based violence is expanding to dozens of high schools across Nova Scotia. The Antigonish Women’s Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association says it teaches youth about the root causes of gender-based violence. The organization says the program is coming to about 80 schools across the province, thanks to 2.5-million-dollars in funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. It says the move is in line with recommendations made by the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission, which examined the April 2020 mass shooting that began with the killer violently assaulting his common-law spouse.
R-C-M-P is warning Nova Scotians about an increase in so-called sextortion scams targeting young males. Sextortion is a form of blackmail when someone online threatens to send a sexual image or video of the victim to others if they don’t pay them or send more sexual content. Police say this often happens when the victim is tricked into believing they are talking to a woman or girl online, usually over social media platforms Instagram or Snapchat. In recent months, police say they’ve received an increase in reports of money-motivated sextortion affecting boys and men between 12 and 20.
Today is Red Shirt Day. Red Shirt Day is a day when Canadians come together and wear red in a display of solidarity to show their support for disabled people and their families; celebrate the achievements of disabled Canadians; and to pledge their commitment to help create a fully accessible and inclusive society. Red Shirt Day is an Easter Seals initiative and was first celebrated in 2019. It takes place each year on the Wednesday of National AccessAbility Week.
The Town of New Glasgow has held an Access Awareness Week Flag Raising Ceremony. The Town says it’s committed to ensuring that every member of the community can participate in all aspects of life. Access Awareness Week is a time to reflect back on the progress that’s been made toward creating an accessible and inclusive community, and also a reminder to address the challenges that still exist.
