Memorial service in Nova Scotia marks one year since mass shooting started

Apr 18, 2021 | 8:18 AM

TRURO, N.S. — A memorial service is planned for today in central Nova Scotia to honour the 22 people killed by a lone gunman one year ago.

The closed service at Truro’s First United Church, which will be livestreamed on Facebook and local media, is slated to begin at 3 p.m. local time.

A provincewide moment of silence will be observed as the ceremony begins, and the service is expected to feature several musical performances and speeches from spiritual teachers and political leaders.

Premier Iain Rankin is scheduled to attend the event, organized by the Nova Scotia Remembers Legacy Society.

The anniversary was also expected to be marked by a peaceful march to the RCMP detachment in nearby Bible Hill, where some of the victim’s relatives planned to express their dismay with the Mounties’ response to one of the worst mass killings in Canadian history.

Meanwhile, the flags at the provincial legislature in Halifax were lowered to half-mast at sunrise this morning and will remain that way until sunset on Monday.

As well, a series of memorial walks and a fundraising run were to be held in and around Truro today, with money raised going towards a permanent memorial.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press