Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Minister, I was in Truro on March 31 to meet with all the families in Portapique who lost loved ones in the massacre.

Apparently, you were there too. Why haven’t you or the Prime Minister met with the families? Why do these families, still to this day, have to bear all the expenses related to their loved ones being murdered? Your government hasn’t offered any financial assistance. Why haven’t you met with the families, and why aren’t you helping them financially?

Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: With all due respect, senator, I’m pretty sure I spoke directly with the families from Portapique when I was in Truro. I think I was one of the first ministers in the federal government to meet with the families in person to express my condolences. I know this is an extremely difficult time for these families.

I was there to support the families when the Mass Casualty Commission published its final report. That’s why, earlier today, I announced the creation of a Progress Monitoring Committee. I have full confidence it will ensure that the final report’s recommendations are fully implemented. We have appointed retired Justice Linda Oland, a person with a great deal of experience in the judicial field and a resident of Nova Scotia. With her leadership, and together with the other stakeholders, we can fulfill the vision of the Mass Casualty Commission, because the time has come to reform the RCMP.

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