Expert fears limits on N.S. inquiry into the Lionel Desmond killings
HALIFAX — A long-awaited public inquiry into the death of an Afghan war veteran who killed his family and himself in rural Nova Scotia last year could be derailed by jurisdictional squabbling, a leading expert on judicial probes says.
The problem: the provincial inquiry is looking at issues that may go deep into federal jurisdiction.
“There may be limits on what the province can look into,” said Ed Ratushny, a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa’s law school.
“It’s a question of constitutional law, as to what the boundaries are between the province and the federal government … It could be a significant barrier to fully exploring the issue.”