RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki warned the offices of top federal politicians against sharing sensitive operational details about a mass killer’s weapons in a message days before she pressured her subordinates to release the same information. Commissioner Lucki’s decision to request the release of details about the weapons used in the 2020 Nova Scotia massacre is at the center of a political firestorm that raises questions about whether she is independent enough. New information about the Commissioner’s dealings with top federal politicians is revealed in an email from April 23, 2020. This letter from Commissioner Luckie was sent to the office of then-Public Safety Minister Bill Blair after a gunman killed 22 people during Canada’s worst mass shooting. There were plans to brief high-level political officials in Ottawa, and Commissioner Lucki relayed exactly what the RCMP knew about the specific firearms and ammunition used in the attacks. But in that e-mail, he also stressed that this information about the weapons could only be distributed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mr. Blair, given the way detectives in Nova Scotia were still piecing together traces of the weapons and how many had been smuggled across the Canada-US border. “Please do not disseminate further,” Commissioner Lucki said in an e-mail to Zita Astrava, Mr Blair’s chief of staff. “Do not share this information with the Minister and the Prime Minister as it relates directly to this active investigation.” The email was released Monday by the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission. Last month, the public inquiry revealed an April 28, 2020, conference call in which Commissioner Lucki pressured her subordinates in Nova Scotia to make public disclosures about the models and origins of those same weapons. The province’s Mounties defied her, saying they still consider the details of the weapon too operationally sensitive for the public to know. RCMP Superintendent Darren Campbell recorded the call and his notes say Commissioner Lucki reprimanded him as he said he had promised the Minister of Public Safety and the Office of the Prime Minister that the RCMP would release the gun information before pending federal action arms control. Nova Scotia mass shooting probe sends new subpoena to Ottawa for rare RCMP documents Conservative MP Raquel Dancho said the public needed to know why the country’s top police officer made such an appearance. Commissioner Lucki “tears a lane” Min. Campbell for not releasing that information even though the Nova Scotia Mounties cited the same reason why the e-mail shows Commissioner Lucki herself reporting to Mr. Blair’s office, Ms. Dancho said. “If she pointed out that releasing this information would jeopardize the investigation … how would she change her tune five days later?” he said. Ms Dancho is among MPs on Parliament’s public safety committee, which called Commissioner Lucki and other Mounties to testify this summer. He said the newly released e-mail raises questions about political figures as well. “This puts a lot of pressure on Mr Blair to explain: ‘This was flagged for you. What conversations did you have with Commissioner Lucki? What conversations did your staff have? Who was the official man in the prime minister’s office?’ said Mrs. Dancho. Missing records are a major issue in the mass casualty inquiry, which aims to complete its report by the end of the year. The federal Department of Justice for months withheld records from senior Nova Scotia RCMP officials critical of Commissioner Lucki. The commission issued its latest subpoena to the federal government on July 4, requesting all outstanding records. “We continue to seek reassurance that nothing else is being withheld as directed by the subpoenas,” Commission Senior Counsel Emily Hill said last week in a statement. Late Monday, the RCMP issued a brief statement in response to the revelation about the April 23, 2020 e-mail. “The Commissioner’s direction was clear not to disseminate it further. This was acknowledged by Secretary Blair’s staff.’ The office of Mr Blair, who is now the federal Emergency Secretary, also released a statement to The Globe and Mail. “The RCMP provided classified updates to the federal government as the investigation progressed,” spokeswoman Annie Cullinan said. “At no time during his tenure did Minister Blair or his office direct the RCMP in any of their operational decisions. This includes releasing information about the firearms that were used.” Mr. Trudeau also said there was no political pressure on Commissioner Lucki in the days after the mass murder. E-mail from Commissioner Lucki, 23 April 2020 copied to Vincent Rigby, then the prime minister’s national security adviser. It has previously been reported that Mr Rigby wrote a memo on April 24 to Mr Trudeau outlining the specific weapons used by the gunman. In her e-mail, Commissioner Lucki apologized to the public safety minister’s chief of staff, saying she could not provide other information requested in time for the briefing. “Ask. Here is the firearms information we know to date,” Commissioner Lucki said. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get you a map, etc. Sorry about that. … A lot of work is being done to finalize the timeline etc.” Ms. Astravas said in an emailed response that she understood the RCMP Commissioner’s messages about gun details only for Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Blair. “Brenda – thank you and I understand,” said the chief of staff. “It will not be distributed further.” The Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
