Nova Scotia reconsidering joint review of shootings

Bowing to public and political pressure, Nova Scotia's justice minister says he is now in favour of a federal-provincial public inquiry into the mass shooting in April that claimed 22 lives.

But Mark Furey's sudden reversal today was accompanied by a key condition.

The minister notes a number of federal Liberal MPs are challenging their government's decision to participate in the joint review, adding he would approve of a more comprehensive public inquiry if Ottawa agrees to do the same.

Furey adds he has heard from the families of victims who have complained the current review process into the April 18-19 tragedy is not good enough.

Earlier in the day, four Liberal MPs from Nova Scotia — Darren Fisher, Sean Fraser, Mike Kelloway and Lenore Zann — came forward to challenge the decision last week to move ahead with a joint review, saying a public inquiry would be preferable.

Fisher, the MP for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, issued a statement saying the gravity of the shootings demands a public inquiry, which would have more authority than a joint review.