Dear Community:

Once again, thank you for signing our petition calling on the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners to order an independent review of the police actions on August 18, 2021. The petition currently has over 4,450 signatures. Please continue to share the petition widely, and consider getting in touch with your Councillor or the Mayor to share your thoughts on this matter (especially if you live in wards whose councillors are on the Board).

Today, two months after the events of August 18th, the Board considered the ECPJS petition, along with a related motion. The municipal lawyer who was advising the Board suggested that the Board might not have jurisdiction to order this review. Some of the Commissioners pushed back on this. In the end, the Board agreed to ask for a report from HRM staff, as well as an independent legal opinion, on the jurisdictional issue.

The Board's next meeting is scheduled for November 15, 2021. Neither the staff report nor the independent legal opinion are likely to be ready by then, so it may be a few months before the Board actually decides whether to order the review. While the delay is concerning, we are optimistic that the independent legal advice will support our position on the Board's jurisdiction and that a review will eventually be conducted.

We will share updates as we have them, so please make sure to follow ECPJS on social media - @eastcoastprisonjustice on Instagram, @ECPJS_ on Twitter, and @ECPJS on Facebook.

We are grateful to each and every one of you who has supported this petition and our work. Way to go for showing up for your community!

Sincerely,
ECPJS