Thread by @BigJMcC

@CTVAnchor As recently as yesterday, your minister, the Attorney-General, insisted the review was a better option, the best option. You said that last week.

@StephenMcNeil "We needed a joint inquiry, Steve."

#Portapique #nspoli

Murphy: It was the federal govt. that said no? You were for it, they were against it.

Stephen McNeil: Right.

Murphy: And you didn't ask them why they were against it?

McNeil: We don't have the authority to compel people forward.

@BillBlair @JustinTrudeau @BernJordanMP

Murphy: Why did you not reveal that the federal govt. was opposed to it (public inquiry)?

McNeil: Let's be honest, Steve. This isn't about me or my government, or about the federal govt. It's about those families.

Clearly Steve, and let me be clear. Clearly we missed the mark.

Murphy: The views of the families have been known since day one. What does it say that apparently the views of a handful of Liberal MP's, are more persuasive than the views of the family members and thousands of citizens?

McNeil: Steve, that's just not accurate. #QuiteFrankly

McNeil: I made it clear last week that if the 3 panelists needed more authority, they could ask our govt. and we would deliver it to them.

(How could @nsgov have done this if, as McNeil himself has argued, the Feds weren't at the table?)

Murphy: But they didn't ask.

.@tommurphycbc The @NS_Justice Minister himself said no one asked him for a review. How do you square the fact that that's what we ended up with, at least until tonight?

McNeil: What was happening was, we were looking to answer the questions, Tom.

(References Desmond Inquiry)

Murphy: Just to remind the audience, legal scholars question your perception of the involvement of the federal govt. at the Desmond Inquiry.

McNeil: Don't take my word for it, Tom. Go read the Commissioner's opening statement on May 21.

.@CH_ABeswick Fourteen lawyers representing the families involved, FEDERAL and provincial govts, the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the doctors who treated Desmond presented their opening statements to judge Warren Zimmer. thechronicleherald.ca/news/provincia…

.@CdnPressNews Smith apologized for those comments when challenged by a lawyer representing the FEDERAL government.

Lori Ward said the inquiry can expect to hear testimony from a Veterans Affairs case manager. atlantic.ctvnews.ca/lionel-desmond…

McNeil: This isn't about me, Steve. Never was, never will be.

If scholars and law professors want to nit pick and back and forth (sic), and call into question the integrity of individuals, they can do so.

#WayneMacKay #ArchieKaiser @SchulichLaw @ElaineCraigDal @ChenderMLA

.@adamrodgersNS pointed out that Mark Furey never did actually agree to an inquiry w. Desmond tragedy. It was @nsgov's Chief Medical Examiner Matt Bowes who used his authority under Fatality Investigations Act to force provincial govt. to call an Inquiry. thechronicleherald.ca/news/provincia…

Rodgers said there are many similarities between the @nsgov's response to the mass shooting and Desmond’s case.

Both cases involve mixed federal and provincial jurisdictional responsibility. In both cases, @StephenMcNeil and @MarkFurey1 initially rejected calls for an inquiry.

@threadreaderapp Unroll please.