Doug Keefe, former Nova Scotia deputy attorney general, and John Furlong, former head of VANOC, will co-chair the independent review of the planning and activities before Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final, and the violence that followed.
Both co-chairs bring different, but complementary sets of skills and experience.
The combination of an out-of-province perspective and local knowledge will help ensure the review will achieve its terms of reference by Aug. 31.
Keefe has led a number of high-profile commissions, investigations and task forces in Nova Scotia. He established the inquiry into the 1992 Westray Mine disaster, in which 26 miners died as the result of a methane explosion, and oversaw the Nova Scotia government's participation in the inquiry and response.
He also played a key role in support of Nova Scotia's chief medical examiner immediately following the Swissair Flight 111 crash of 1998, in which all 229 on board died.
Keefe spent nearly 30 years with the Government of Nova Scotia, including seven years as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general and eight years as executive director of legal services and victim services. In these roles, he helped to lead consultations and negotiations with a wide range of stakeholders, with interests ranging from Aboriginal hunting to offshore petroleum agreements.
Furlong led the Vancouver 2010 Bid Committee from 2001 to 04, then served as president and CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC). This work required significant co-ordination of government agencies, including police forces and security agencies, to stage large, safe public events and celebrations. In 2010, Furlong became an Officer of the Order of Canada and received the Order of B.C.
The Province, City of Vancouver and Vancouver Police Department are committed to fully co-operating with Keefe and Furlong toward the timely completion of their review. As announced June 20, they will report out to the Province, City and
Vancouver Police Board by Aug. 31, 2011. The report will be made public.
The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is providing the review team with office space and administrative support. The ministry is also working to identify technical experts in police operations and crowd management that the co-chairs may wish to access in support of their review. The ministry has also begun to provide Keefe and Furlong with background materials to ensure they have all the tools and support necessary to begin work immediately.
- Submitted
