A spontaneous public memorial erupted soon after the 22 murders, one year ago this weekend. An unbridled riot of teddy bears and flowers, flags and photos, notes of love and loss arrived in the tiny Nova Scotia community of Portapique in the arms of mourners from near and far, despite pandemic restrictions.
It was an outpouring that soon poured out too much. The sprawling display was cleared away for the winter, officially, but many were already uncomfortable with such a constant, jarring reminder of the 13 hours a gunman scattered death and horror through central Nova Scotia, much of it while masquerading as an RCMP officer.