Ottawa, June 24 (IANS) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied meddling in an investigation into the 2020 mass shooting, the worst the country's history.
Brenda Lucki, head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), has been accused of pressuring local officers to help advance Trudeau's gun control plans, the BBC quoted the Halifax Examiner as saying, which was the first to report on the development.
According to the Halifax Examiner, the accusation stemmed from notes made by a local RCMP officer, released as part of a public investigation into the mass shooting on April 18-19, 2020, during which a gunman posing as a police officer killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.
The suspect died in a stand-off with police.
Addressing reporters on Thursday, Trudeau said that his government "did not put any undo influence or pressure" on police.
"It is extremely important to highlight that it is only the RCMP, it is only police that determine what and when to release information," the BBC quoted the Prime Minister as saying.
Denying the accusations, Commissioner Lucki said in a statement released on Tuesday that information sharing between the federal government and police is normal during a high-profile event such as a mass shooting.
The RCMP chief however acknowledged that she "should have been more sensitive" in her approach.
Canada's opposition Conservative Party has called for a debate in the House of Commons, and a parliamentary committee voted on Thursday to hold a hearing into the matter.
In the wake of the deadliest rampage in Canadian history, Prime Minister Trudeau in May 2020 announced an immediate ban on the sale, transportation, importation, or use of some 1,500 makes and models of "military-grade assault-style" weapons.
A statement from the premier's office provides few details about the nature of the announcement other than to confirm Horgan will be available to answer questions after the swearing-in.
Staff from the restaurant immediately called 911, as they observed the suspect depart and noted his direction of travel. The suspect allegedly stopped and threatened the staff members with a weapon.
To further the investigation, the victim has been identified as 66-year-old Terry Miller of Coquitlam. There was a second victim, also stabbed, but is recovering.
Horgan's annual salary is about $211,000 a year, while cabinet ministers are paid about $167,000, but the 10 per cent that is withheld is only on the portion of their incomes that relate to their cabinet positions.
The Vancouver-based company says the sale of its rights to manage the forest and harvest timber to the McLeod Lake Indian Band and Tsay Keh Dene Nation is subject to approval from the provincial government.
Last month, police issued a Canada-wide warrant for the arrest of Michael Gordon Jackson and charged him with abduction in contravention of a custody or parenting order.
