Delay in Mass Casualty Commission Hearings May Mean Disclosure Battles Taking Place

The Mass Casualty Commission has announced a four-month delay to the start of proceedings, citing the volume of disclosure and witness interviews as factors causing, or justifying, the delay. I believe there is more going on, and that it may indicate there are disputes happening that have not been made public.

For months now, the Commission has established October 26, 2021 as the start date for hearings, with the first phase going until December 10th. Now, they are saying that “public proceedings” will start in January and “hearings” in February. (That distinction in itself is significant. “Public proceedings” might mean open houses or roundtable discussions. The Commission made the distinction in it’s release, yet some media have noted the delay to be until late January.)

I suspect that behind the scenes there is a battle going on over disclosure, and that the police are resisting full disclosure. Four months would give the Commission time to hear whatever legal arguments may be warranted should the disagreement over content persist.