Nova Scotia Remembers

This last week has been a rough one for my province. Last weekend's shootings is now in the record books as being the worst in Canada's history. 22 innocent lives were lost - 23 if you include an unborn child - and we Nova Scotians are deeply in mourning for our fallen people.

Last night, there was an online vigil held via the Colchester - Supporting Our Communities group in Facebook. It was aired on CBC, CTV, and Global, and featured a lot of people from across our amazing nation. It started off with the amazing Natalie MacMaster, a fiddler from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, who played along with a video by one of the victims, Emily Tuck, that was posted in the ULTIMATE ONLINE NOVA SCOTIA KITCHEN PARTY(COVID19 EDITION) Facebook group. It was absolutely beautiful and haunting, knowing Emily was no longer with us.

Others who participated included NHL Forward Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour), country singer George Canyon (who hails from Pictou), musician Reeny Smith (North Preston), and our own Jonathan Torrens hosted it for all of us. It was organized by volunteers (I'm not sure who did the actual organizing, but THANK YOU) and ran for 90 minutes. Included were the names of the known victims, and a loving tribute to all of them from people who knew them.

I cried my way through it. Seeing the video of Ms. MacMaster playing along with Emily's video did me in, and the tears would not stop until after the last note of the closing had faded from my ears. It was absolutely beautiful, a touching tribute to those my province lost.

NOVA SCOTIA REMEMBERS via CBC

Sarah McLaughlin did a video for everyone here too. She's originally from Nova Scotia, and like others, wanted to send her love to her home province. Her video of her (and I think her daughter) singing her song "ANGEL" was another round of tears for a lot of us, but at the same time, we were happy to see someone else sending their love via such a beautiful and haunting song.

So many people have been posting in the Colchester - Supporting Our Communities group, as well as the Nova Scotia Strong group. The outpouring of love for those in Colchester County (where Portapique, Truro and other communities affected are) is absolutely amazing, and so beautiful. People across Canada have been showing their support, from lighting candles and making displays in their window featuring twenty-two hearts (one with a smaller heart inside of it), to songs commemorating the victims and even lighting up their houses - or public areas - first blue and white for our provincial flag, then red in unity for our lost RCMP officer, Constable Heidi Stevenson, and to show our unity as a nation. Even Niagara Falls was lit up - the American side as well as the Canadian side. The CN Tower in Toronto was lit up, so were various other famous parts of the country.

I cry each time I see some new outpouring of love for my little province from a new spot... We had someone from New Zealand share a tribute for NS in one of the groups I belong to. I'm astounded just how many people love my little province, and all of us here are grateful for it.

A lot of us are still reeling from this, and we will be hurting for a long, long time. We may never get over it. Our sweet, sleepy little province's peace was shattered by one person's horrible decision to start killing people he knew, and some random ones who didn't know him at all.

LIST OF 22 VICTIMS

They will never be forgotten. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I am so grateful that even in times of social distancing, we can still come together online, as a province, or even a nation, and support each other in times of crisis. My province is known for banding together and showing love and support when one area faces something horrible... My own area faced the murder of a child in 2008, and the outpouring of love from all ends of Nova Scotia, as well as other parts of Canada, blew me away. This time, it's magnified ten thousandfold.... And it is so wonderful of everyone to send their love to those who lost someone in this horrible event.

My heart is with all of the victims' families, friends, and loved ones. We will never forget them, and we are with all of you in spirit. Sending love from Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia, on the South Shore.

Take care everyone... Stay safe, and if you need to talk to someone, I've included a list of phone numbers and websites for Nova Scotians and Canadians.

Hang in there everyone. You are not alone. We are in this together.

#NovaScotiaStrong #YouAreNotAlone #NovaScotia

RESOURCES:

Nova Scotia Provincial Mental Health Line: 1-888-429-8167 (open 24/7)

Canadian Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-833-456-4566 (WEBSITE)

Kid's Help Phone (Canada Wide): 1-800-668-6868 (Young people can text TALK to 686868 and adults can text WELLNESS to 741741)

I leave you with a song that has a lot of meaning for me... "She's Called Nova Scotia" by the late, great RITA MACNEIL.