Search and rescue public inquiry will happen, says Andrew Parsons

The new minister of Justice and Public Safety says there will be a public inquiry into search and rescue resources in Newfoundland and Labrador, following the death of Burton Winters.

On Tuesday, Andrew Parsons announced there will be a public inquiry held into the shooting death of Don Dunphy, as well as a separate inquiry into a cancelled contract involving Humber Valley Paving.

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Parsons said Thursday that government will also be holding an inquiry into search and rescue in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"That was the first issue that we brought up, I guess it was a couple of years ago now, when the young man passed away and it became obviously a huge issue of provincial and national importance," Parsons told CBC's Labrador Morning.

"That's one of the issues that we've said we will be holding a public inquiry into — it's the search and rescue services in our province which was sort of brought about by the passing of young Mr. Winters."

Winters, 14, had in January 2012 abandoned his snowmobile about 10 kilometres outside Makkovik after it became stuck in heavy snow and rough sea ice after he left his grandmother's home.

He walked another 19 kilometres before he stopped and later died.

Parsons cited the consequent public outcry and a need to ensure search and rescue resources in the province are top-notch as motivating reasons for a calling an inquiry.

There's a lot of things that we need to determine — and those will be done hopefully in short order.- Andrew Parsons

"Basically what we have is, we have an issue that we feel the public is interested in and it was caused by really a tragedy — we had the passing of a young man," he said.

However, Parsons said he's only been in the department for a couple of days, and it's still a matter of time before he knows how the inquiry will come together.

"Now what I can say is obviously this is very preliminary. What we've said at this point, what I've been mandated by the premier to do, is to initiate these public inquiries," he said.

"What type of inquiry, when will it happen, what is the mandate of that inquiry, how broad will it be, there's a lot of things that we need to determine — and those will be done hopefully in short order."