Tory leader doesn't 'trust NDP to not cover up for the Liberals' after 'disgusting' accusations over Nova Scotia investigation interference

Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen spoke to reporters on Wednesday regarding accusations made by Superintendent Darren Campbell that Brenda Lucki made a backroom deal with the Liberals to help promote a gun control agenda following the Nova Scotia mass shooting of 2020.

She also voiced concerns over holding a Parliamentary committee over the accusations, saying that she had little trust in the New Democrats to not help the Liberals cover up findings.

"I want to tell everyone that Conservatives believe Superintendent Darren Campbell," said Bergen to reporters in Ottawa. "When he says that Brenda Lucki, the commissioner pressured him, pressured the RCMP and the reason she did it was because she had a made a commitment, or she had been pressured by the Prime Minister's Office and/or the Public Safety Minister's Office, we believe Superintendent Campbell."

According to yesterday's bombshell from the Halifax Examiner, the commissioner pressured RCMP subordinates to release details of the weapons used by Gabriel Wortman in his April 18-19 attack on civilians. Commanders in the Nova Scotia RCMP refused to do so out of fear that it could "jeopardize" investigations.

"This is disgusting to know that the prime minister and his office would use the death of Canadians for his own political gain, but unfortunately, we have seen it before," she said.

"We believe very strongly the prime minister, his office, ad the minister of public safety's office, and the former minister need to be held accountable. We will make sure that happens.

"Right now they are denying wrongdoing. This is a pattern, this is what this prime minister does. You'll recall with SNC Lavalin, The Globe broke the story and the prime minister looked in the camera and said 'I did not pressure the Attorney General Jody Wilson Raybould.' We know now that that's not true. So when the minister of public safety looks in the camera and says 'I did not pressure the commissioner,' it's very, very difficult to believe that."

When asked how the Conservatives would hold the Liberals accountable, Bergen said that a full-on investigation needed to take place, and that the Trudeau government would be transparent if they had nothing to hide.

"We believe there needs to be a full investigation if the minister and prime minister have nothing to hide, they'll hide nothing. They'll be completely transparent, will not be hiding documents, not be hiding emails, or hiding behind cabinet confidence.

"The prime minister has a habit of doing this, using people, using his influence for his own political gain, and interfering in criminal investigations, and in this case, an investigation into the biggest mass killing in Canadian history."

She also voiced deep concerns that the Liberal-NDP pseudo coalition would work with each other to avoid accountability: "We've seen the NDP help cover up a lot for the Liberals. I have concerns about a Parliamentary committee because first of all, the Liberals have the majority, and now they have the majority with the NDP. So I think there needs to be more independence for more of an independent investigation to happen. I don't trust the NDP to not cover up for the Liberals."

During a press conference on Wednesday, New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh would not answer whether he believed the allegations or if he believed the ministers and Commissioner Lucki, saying that more information was needed.

"I think the question being raised highlights why we need to get to the bottom of this. There should be a serious reflection and investigation into what actually happened, and those questions should be clearly answered for Canadians," he said.

"Right now, I think those questions are still unanswered and what Canadians deserve is to have the answers and have the facts and have an investigation into this," he said. "This allegation of interference is very serious. The fact that the government is alleged to be interfering with this mass shooting is deeply problematic. It is wrong, it is a gross interference into a horrific shooting, and we need answers. Right now the truth is not clear, and there's a serious allegation before us, and we need to know why are there different versions of events," he said.