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.
Due to the serious nature of the collision 176 Street was closed in both directions between 88 Avenue and 96 Avenue but has since re-opened. The investigation is in the early stages.
The Canadian mining company says search crews will continue to work at full capacity. Trevali said last week that rescue workers reached a refuge 570 metres below ground, but found no one inside.
Mounties say in a statement they believe the man drowned while swimming in Long Lake this weekend. They say the man's family told officers he went for a swim around 6 p.m. Sunday and they called police when he hadn't returned the next morning.
Hamm is described as a male, 5’10, 170lbs, with black greying curly hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black jacket, blue shirt, jeans and dark runners with white soles.
