The Mayor of Tumbler Ridge is reacting to yesterday’s announcement from BC’s Chief Coroner.
Darryl Krakowka says an inquest into the horrific mass shooting will help the northern BC community understand what happened as it continues to grieve.
Krakowka says nothing can undo the profound loss felt by the families of the victims and the entire community. However, he adds the inquest is essential to ensuring a thorough and transparent review.
Several unanswered questions have emerged, including mental health supports, firearm oversight, and the role of artificial intelligence.
A jury will make recommendations aimed at avoiding a similar event in the future. The mayor says those recommendations will be important in making schools safer.
“It’s important to look at what happened and at what can be changed, not just in Tumbler Ridge but across the province and across Canada,” the mayor said.
In addition to the move, some say a coroner’s inquest alone is not enough to get all the answers.
Two conservative MLAs, including Peace River South MLA Larry Neufeld, are also calling for a public inquiry.
“Families deserve answers, systems must be held accountable, and failures cannot be repeated,” Neufeld said. “Tumbler Ridge deserves to know the truth.”
An inquest is usually called to investigate sudden and violent deaths, while a public inquiry focuses on broader public issues.
A public inquiry would examine what went wrong systematically and how to fix it. Only the provincial cabinet can order a review of that kind.
-With files from The Canadian Press.
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