Nova Scotians still awaiting NDP-promised account on Taavel tragedy says d'Entremont
 
HALIFAX, NS – Nova Scotians are still waiting for an account of the circumstances leading up to the tragic death of Raymond Taavel on a Halifax street. A report was due from the NDP’s Justice Minister 90 days ago.   
 
Taavel was killed in the early morning hours of April 17th, 2012. The East Coast Forensic Hospital patient accused of the crime was permitted an unescorted pass to leave the facility.    
 
On April 18th, Justice Minister Ross Landry said “we are going to have a statement back by 30 days from now to talk about were the policies and procedures followed, and at that point to determine if they were adequate and in what direction we need to go.”    
 
Progressive Conservative Health critic Chris d’Entremont says Nova Scotians have a right to know what happened in a timely manner.    
 
“Without having staff and officials account for the events that occurred that day, without knowing what went wrong, we run the risk that it could happen again,” said d’Entremont.
 
The NDP were quick to promise an inquiry to avoid public anger and scrutiny, but almost four months have now passed since the tragic incident.
 
On May 17th, when that review report was due, former Health Minister Maureen MacDonald made a bizarre statement in the Legislature: “…at no time did we indicate that a 30-day review would be completed within 30 days.”    
 
d’Entremont says the delay in answers and accountability is unacceptable.    
 
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