Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also issued a statement , saying , " On behalf of all Canadians , Laureen and I offer our deepest condolences to the families , colleagues and friends of those affected by this tragedy . We also offer our prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured . " He also remarked that this incident reminds us that " men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line in Canada every day to protect our citizens and communities " . RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson released a statement regarding the three slain officers , saying , " Their deaths are beyond comprehension . Their ultimate sacrifices will never be forgotten . " An internal review was announced by the RCMP on June 9 to investigate whether the five officers shot were adequately armed and protected to deal with Bourque , who was armed with high-powered firearms , and how to prevent a similar incident from occurring . The review was later ordered on July 3 . However , the decision for an internal review was criticized , with many calling for an independent inquiry . Among the critics was Darryl Davies , a criminologist from Carleton University , who had made a report for the RCMP in 2009 about the Mayerthorpe tragedy which left four RCMP officers dead ; the report recommended officers be immediately given training and equipped with high-powered firearms . Davies alleged that his report was ignored by the RCMP and believes that an internal review will not result in long-term changes , saying , " I think an internal inquiry is not going to be transparent , number one – that 's why we need a public inquiry . " On 15 May 2015 , the RCMP was charged with four Canada Labour Code violations ; someone who is found guilty of contravening Section 148 ( 1 ) is liable to a maximum $ 1-million fine and/or a prison sentence of two years . On 6 January 2017 , the date 18 April 2017 was set for the start of the trial of the violations ; at the time , the trial was expected to last into June . Provincial court Chief Justice R. Leslie Jackson was to hear the trial
Mayerthorpe tragedy
Mayerthorpe tragedy
Moncton shooting