QUEEN’S PARK – MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement supporting northwestern Ontario First Nations chiefs’ call for a public inquiry into the provincial government’s response to wildfires:
“In the midst of one of the worst wildfire seasons in Ontario’s history, First Nations communities have been left without the proper resources, information and evacuation support to keep them safe.
Entire communities have been destroyed and thousands of people are stuck in hotel rooms wondering when they’ll see home again.
Wildland firefighters and first responders are working hard to keep people safe, but the government has failed to do its part by repeatedly underfunding emergency firefighting in the provincial budget, and failing to coordinate evacuation efforts and communicate with First Nations.
I join First Nations leaders in the call for a public inquiry into the provincial government’s wildfire response, which left First Nations communities to self-evacuate without necessary support from the province. During this difficult time, the province has a responsibility to let Indigenous communities know it hears their call to learn from mistakes and will act on it to do better moving forward.
Northwestern communities should feel like the government has their back in the face of worsening forest fire seasons. As we continue to feel the very real and dangerous impacts of the climate crisis, the government must step up. We need to learn from the provincial response and work across party lines to do ensure that communities and frontline workers have the resources they need.”