Mental health support still lacking 4 years after mass shooting: Nova Scotia mayor
Global News
Four years after the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, the mayor of the community where the tragedy began says accessing mental health resources is still a challenge.
This story contain disturbing subject matter and discussion of mental health. Discretion is advised.
It’s been four years since the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, and the mayor of the community where the tragedy began says mental health resources are still a challenge to access.
“It’s more than mental health support,” Colchester County Mayor Christine Blair said in an interview Thursday.
“It’s the overall support for the victims of trauma, and the relatives of victims of trauma, and the community that has been traumatized.”
On April 18-19, 2020, a gunman — at times disguised as an RCMP officer — murdered 22 people in Nova Scotia during a rampage that began in the Colchester County community of Portapique. The victims included a pregnant woman and an RCMP officer.
Fifteen of the victims were in Colchester County.
“Because of that, we are suffering,” said Blair. “It’s huge here, and it has affected everyone.”
She said the community continues to struggle with the trauma of the event. Leon Joudrey, a survivor of the shooting, died by suicide in 2022.
