“A public inquiry must include independent experts in domestic violence and use a feminist lens that considers the cultural, systemic and structural issues that may have led to this mass shooting,” says Jenny Wright, feminist, activist, counsellor and panelist with the Canadian Femicide Observatory on Justice and Accountability.
Since the shooting took place, feminist organizations across the Maritimes and Canada have spoken up about the need for an inquiry with a feminist lens, one that would note the importance of its ties to domestic violence.
The rally is being organized by Women's Wellness Within and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Protestors will gather at 12pm to strike for 22 minutes, in correspondence with the hashtag #22ReasonsWhy, as well as the 22 victims who died that day.
The 22 reasons listed are:
1. Because 22 people, including a pregnant woman, were murdered in less than 24 hours and each of these murders was preventable.
2. Because the victims’ families asked for a public inquiry and were denied.
3. Because the murders are rooted in gender-based violence and misogyny.
4. Because a woman or girl is killed every 2.5 days.
5. Because most murdered women and girls are killed by men known to them.
6. Because kids deserve to grow up safe from misogyny and gun violence.
7. Because every year there are 1,300 firearm deaths.
8. Because rural women face a higher risk of domestic violence.
9. Because living in a rural area increases the risk of being murdered with a firearm.
10. Because 100 people were killed by police in Canada from 2017-2020.
11. Because police dismiss 1 in 5 sexual assault claims as baseless.
12. Because without compelling testimony, the truth will not to be told.
13. Because the calls for a public inquiry come from all sectors of society.
14. Because this tragedy must drive systemic and structural change.
15. Because only recommendations from a public inquiry can be enforced.
16. Because this is the largest mass shooting in Canada in our lifetimes.
17. Because criminalized communities, sex workers, people who use drugs, trans, Black, Indigenous and racialized people have taught us that policing has never been about our safety.
18. Because (ex)police should not investigate police.
19. Because the police and government are accountable to the people.
20. Because we’ve lost trust in leaders and institutions and their closed-door decisions.
21. Because we deserve to understand what happened.
22. Because we demand accountability, transparency and justice
Last week, an "independent review" of the tragedy was announced by the federal and provincial government, but will not be held to the same standards as an official public review, including the ability to compel testimony under oath.
A livestream link to the rally will also be posted on the Facebook event.