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It’s been almost two years since a gunman, who we shall not name, went on a rampage in northern Nova Scotia that left 22 people and an unborn child dead. No one was more affected than Colchester County and the quiet, peaceful communities in and around Portapique.

We may never know why the gunman, dressed as an RCMP officer, went on his 13-hour killing spree or how he selected his victims, but after several frustrating delays the promised mass casualty inquiry kicked off in Halifax earlier this week.

The public proceedings will continue into October and will be sitting for three or four days a week, other than several week-long blocks that are being left open.

The process is being broken into three phases with the first phase seeing the commission releasing a series of what it’s calling foundational documents to answer questions about what happened. The second phase will explore broader content and issues relevant to the commission’s mandate while the third phase, anticipated to begin late this summer, will invite public input to help inform the commission’s final recommendations to make communities safer.

We can only hope the inquiry helps us understand what happened on April 18 and 19, 2020 so steps can be taken to ensure it never happens again. What we can’t have is anything that glosses over the pain and suffering that left a community and a province in mourning. We need to know how it happened, what the authorities knew about the gunman and what steps can be taken to ensure no other community has to go through this ordeal ever again.

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When people think of homelessness they often envision people sleeping on park benches in big cities like New York, Toronto or even Halifax. Fact is, homelessness – our housing insecurity – is just as big a problem in rural Nova Scotia as it is in the bright lights of the big city.

Truro’s homeless may not be visible to the casual viewer, but a closer look should reveal they are there and it’s up to organizations such as the Truro Housing Outreach Society to be there to help people in the time of their greatest need.

It’s also why a group of volunteers and supporters with the society are coming together Feb. 26 to host the Coldest Night of the Year to raise money to support the programs and services offered by the society.

February is probably not the most pleasant time of the year to hold a fundraising walk, but it’s also a stark reminder of the conditions those living on the streets face every night during the winter months. It’s cold, it’s uncomfortable and even dangerous when temperatures plummet below freezing.

Since the first walk in 2015, Truro has raised more than $261,000. It’s more than a number, it shows this community gets it and when this year’s walk takes place on Saturday we can only hope the community continues to get behind it by walking in solidarity and by reaching into their wallets to help our most vulnerable cope with tough times.

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On Sunday, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League suspended a Victoriaville Tigres’ defenceman for five games under its antidiscrimination policy.

According to a league media release, Alexis Jacques was suspended for using “inappropriate language” in a Feb. 18 game against the Charlottetown Islanders. The league didn’t elaborate on what was said, but it’s sad and disappointing that we continue having to deal with racism in hockey.

Last week, hockey officials in Prince Edward Island handed out 25-game suspensions to players involved in an incident where racial slurs were hurled at a young goaltender from Halifax, while in January it reversed its decision to suspend a player after he criticized the organization for its handling of racist comments directed at a teammate.

Earlier this month, we celebrated the announcement that Willie O’ree – the first Black man to play in the NHL – is being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. As much as we need to celebrate this and the growing diversity in a wonderful game, we also need to raise awareness and take steps to remove racism and other forms of discrimination from hockey.

Racism has no place in sports, just as it doesn’t belong in our community. Unfortunately, unless serious action is taken against those who make hateful comments, we could be playing a game of whack a mole trying to put out fires because of them.