We Remember
Together we honour, remember, reflect and act.
January 3, 2017, marks a tragic loss of life that continues to impact family members, African Nova Scotian communities, and Nova Scotia as a whole. We are committed to working towards lasting change in memory of the lives lost.
January 3, 2017
Aaliyah Desmond • Shanna Desmond • Brenda Desmond • Corporal Lionel Desmond
Our Approach
The Province is taking a whole-of-government approach to address recommendations of the Desmond Fatality Inquiry. This website shares how the provincial government is responding and implementing the recommendations. This work is ongoing and grounded in accountability, transparency, and an understanding of the importance of being culturally responsive to meet the needs of those most affected.
The Desmond Fatality Inquiry was initiated under the provincial Fatality Investigations Act. For this reason, all the recommendations are directed at the Province of Nova Scotia, and at times will require federal action and collaboration. The Province is committed to working with our federal partners to achieve results.
The Desmond family first asked government to conduct this inquiry in 2017 and examine the systemic issues that resulted in this tragic loss of life. From the beginning, the work was known as the Desmond Fatality Inquiry and the name holds deep meaning to the family and community. At the family's request, and with deep respect to their wishes, the Province continues to use this name to honour the lives lost and as a call to accountability.
Actions
Based on the recommendations, the Province is working to strengthen safety and resilience across the province, in three interconnected areas:
- Community Safety, Well-Being and Health - Provide support to help Nova Scotians stay healthy and feel safe in their own communities. This can include culturally responsive healthcare and improved access to programs and services in rural and remote communities.
- Gender-Based Violence, Intimate Partner Violence - Reduce gender-based and intimate partner violence by understanding why it happens, finding better ways to prevent it, and offering more help to people who have been affected.
- Public Safety and Policing Reform - Make communities safer by strengthening firearms regulation and improving pathways for information sharing across systems to better identify risks to safety.
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GuysWork is a school-based program where young men examine how traditional masculinity norms can impact their health, and the health of their peers. GuysWork has been expanded to over 76 schools with 56 more staff trained since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year. |
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Kids in the Know is the Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s national safety education program. It engages students interactively to build skills that increase their personal safety and reduce their risk of victimization online and offline. All Nova Scotia teachers now have access to the program and its resources to support their students. |
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Status of Women Office and the Department for Labour Skills and Immigration are co-leading the development of training on GBV/IPV for public sector staff, supported by the Public Service Commission. The training will provide basic education on GBV and IPV, how to identify the signs, and how to intervene appropriately if any employee encounters or experiences GBV/IPV in the workplace (referred to as ‘bystander intervention’). |
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The Rapid Access Pathway has been launched as a pilot in Eastern Zone (July 14, 2025), Northern Zone (August 15, 2025), and Western Zone (August 25, 2025). The program began with Adult Psychiatry and has since expanded to also include Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. |
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Provided funding to support community-based organizations in their work to address gender-based violence, which helped to respond to five recommendations within the Desmond Fatality Inquiry final report.
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Effective April 1, 2025, paid leave related to domestic violence was expanded to five days in Nova Scotia. A cross-department working group is working to help continue to publicly raise awareness about this protection and ensure workplaces are conducive for accessing the leave. Release: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/04/01/expanded-paid-domestic-violence-leave-takes-effect |
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Creating Communities of Care Through a Customary Law Approach is receiving $500,000 a year in ongoing core funding beginning in 2025. The project provides culturally relevant support and navigation help and raises awareness of the impact of violence in Indigenous and Black and African Nova Scotian communities through initiatives like podcasts, participation in conferences and workshops, and presentations. |
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A Policing Standard was issued by Ministerial Directive on September 17, 2024 and will continue to be reviewed to see if changes are needed. The Department of Justice worked with policing oversight bodies to develop new Provincial Policing Standards that ensure adequate and effective policing for all Nova Scotians. Currently, all police in Nova Scotia use, and are trained on, the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA). |
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The ADM Inquiry Response Group, a group of senior officials from across government, meet regularly to coordinate the response to these recommendations. Executive Council Office provides corporate leadership to coordinate government’s inquiry response, which supports implementing the recommendations in a coordinated and culturally responsive manner. Since the release of the DFI report in January 2024, African Nova Scotian Affairs has provided essential community insights and understanding regarding the tragedy, guidance on the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the report. |
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Federal Bill C-71 received Royal Assent on 21 June 2019. Orders in Council were announced in May and October 2022. This legislation strengthens federal gun control, including through expanded background checks and additional requirements for the sale and transport of firearms. |
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