The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate if police committed a criminal offence related to the investigation and 1999 conviction of Glen Assoun for the murder of Brenda Way.

“Getting this work started has been a focus of mine since I took on the role as Director,” said Erin Nauss, Director of SiRT.  “I am grateful to ASIRT for taking on this important investigation. Their team brings experience and expertise, and I have complete faith in their ability to conduct a professional, thorough and independent investigation.”

Having an external oversight agency investigate will remove the risk of any real or perceived conflict of interest and ensure a fair and impartial investigation.

“We understand the need to engage an external agency, and determined ASIRT has the capacity to conduct this investigation,” said Matthew Block, acting executive director of ASIRT. “We will do our utmost to ensure a just outcome and a thorough, transparent accounting of the events in Mr. Assoun’s case.”

In 1999, Mr. Glen Assoun was convicted and sentenced for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Lee Anne Way. A new trial was ordered after the Federal Minister of Justice concluded there was a reasonable basis that a miscarriage of justice occurred. In 2019, a Nova Scotia court acquitted Mr. Assoun of the offence.

On September 8, 2020, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Nova Scotia, Mark Furey, asked SiRT to investigate the matter of a possible miscarriage of justice.

Media Contact

Khalehla Perrault
Manager of Communications & Special Projects
Email: Khalehla.Perrault@novascotia.ca