N.S. justice minister faces backlash over domestic violence comments

Whatever he says in an apology, I don’t think it’s going to matter. Was glad to see the premier come back. I was glad to see him validate the work of the Commission. But I don’t think that that minimizes in any way the words of the Minister of Justice, Justice Minister Brad Johns, facing backlash on Thursday after taking questions from the media on the anniversary of the Nova Scotia mass shooting, when asked about whether domestic violence should be treated as an epidemic, as recommended in the mass casualty Commission report, John’s disagreed. No, I don’t, because I think that. An epidemic is you’re seeing it everywhere, all the time. I don’t think that’s the case. When questioned further, he agreed that domestic violence is an issue, but said there are bigger issues. We have issues around guns, we issues around drugs, we have issues. I mean there there’s a lot of issues. Violence in general, domestic violence is an epidemic. The mass casualty Commission included that in my report. I agree with it. We agree with the findings of the mass casualty Commission. We we’re working hard on the recommendation. So I just don’t want there to be any confusion about the government position on this. Premier quick to address the media again, disagreeing with John’s words and promising an apology from the minister. I want the families to know that we will be moving forward with the recommendations in a way that honors them. They are foremost in our thoughts. A written statement from John’s following shortly saying the pervasiveness of domestic violence and the harm it causes in our communities is not something that should ever be minimized. I am truly sorry that my words did so. This government, my department and I agree that domestic violence is an epidemic. Considering this is the anniversary of the Porter Peak massacre, his comments are pretty disgusting. I think if we have a Minister of Justice that doesn’t think that domestic violence and gender based violence is a major concern in this province, he should resign or be removed from that post. They are clear in recommendation V14 that as a societal response we must address the epidemic of intimate partner violence and they say that they chose that word specifically while opposition leaders are calling for the removal or resignation of John’s from his ministerial position. Premier says he will have conversations with John’s on what he was thinking. Meghan King, Global News, Halifax.