Winnipeg MP Gazan seeks emergency debate on wildfires
A Winnipeg MP has written to the Speaker of the House of Commons to ask for an emergency debate on wildfires in Manitoba and elsewhere.
Leah Gazan, who represents Winnipeg Centre, shared a letter with media organizations that she sent to Francis Scarpaleggia on Monday morning.
'Both Manitoba and Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency for the next month and are now appealing for international assistance to contain the fires. Despite the heroic efforts of front-line workers — firefighters, nurses, doctors and volunteers — the response system has proven inadequate in addressing the urgent needs of evacuees, particularly in Indigenous communities,' the NDP MP wrote.
'This is not the first time First Nations have been left behind during climate emergencies. The federal government has repeatedly failed to ensure that remote and northern communities have access to reliable emergency preparedness infrastructure and evacuation support.'
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Vancouver Sun
20 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
What we know about the wildfires burning in Canada and sending smoke to the U.S. and U.K.
High winds coupled with a warm, dry spring are fuelling a wave of forest fires across western Canada and parts of Ontario. More than 200 fires were reported across the country as of Tuesday morning, half of which are labelled out of control. Wildfires have already burned close to 2.2 million hectares this year, equivalent to the size of about 4 million football fields. At about seven times its ten-year average, the burn area is unusually large for this time of year. Communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are shrouded in smoke and air quality alerts have been issued across the provinces and bordering U.S. states. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. With summer still weeks away, this year's fire season is running far ahead of schedule. Here's what you should know. The worst blazes have occurred in the prairie provinces and has led Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare province-wide emergencies in late May. Saskatchewan The Shoe fire in Saskatchewan's Narrow Hills Provincial Park has scorched 408,000 hectares as of Monday, roughly 18 times the size of the city of Saskatoon, and is threatening 11 communities. To the north, a 83,000 hectare fire in La Ronge, Sask, forced several neighbouring communities to evacuate. On Monday , the fire had crossed into the town's airport. The evacuation also included 45 acute and long-term care patients from the care homes and a health centre in La Rouge, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said. In total, more than 8,000 people, or about 30 communities, have been ordered to evacuate so far. There are 18 fires across the province, around half of which are uncontained. It's already shaping up to be the worst wildfire season Saskatchewan has seen in recent memory. Manitoba In Manitoba, more than 17,000 residents, including 5,000 people from Flin Flon, a mining city located near the Saskatchewan border, were forced to evacuate from their homes. The smoke has been too thick for water bombers to reach, leaving firefighters struggling to contain the blazes. Multiple fires beset the First Nations communities of Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Pukatawagan, prompting the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to make an urgent plea for emergency response on May 30. The fires made the roads inaccessible stranding close to 4,000 members from both communities. Military planes carried out the evacuations save for a handful of holdouts who have so far refused to leave. Many of the evacuees have been allowed to carry only one bag with them and are told it might be weeks before they have a chance to return. The province has 25 fires, 10 of which are out of control. With accommodations in cities and First Nations communities becoming scarce, evacuees have had to be flown outside the province. Hundreds of Pimicikamak Cree Nation residents have been taken to Niagara Falls, Ont., where hotel rooms are becoming difficult to wrangle. Many of the evacuees have been allowed to carry only one bag with them and have been told it might be weeks before they have a chance to return. In mid-May, two people were reported dead in Lac du Bonnet, Man., a little over an hour's drive from Winnipeg, where evacuation orders were in place. Alberta Cooler weather mild showers kept fires from escalating overnight in Alberta, but the rest of the week is expected to bring warmer weather. More than 4,500 people have been ordered to leave their homes, including the town of Swan Hills, located northwest of Edmonton. The fires have claimed more than 500,000 hectares, primarily in the province's northwest. 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It reopened to a single lane that evening, according to the Drive B.C. website. Ontario Several high-risk fires are burning in northern Ontario. Several First Nations communities have been evacuated since May and two have declared states of emergencies. Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, located west of Kenora, were placed under evacuation orders in mid-May. Fires started near the Manitoba border and have since scorched more than 36,000 hectares. Evacuations for Webequie First Nation, in Nipigon, where the fires have blackened 8,000 hectares, were carried out last week, and more than 400 members relocated. Deer Lake First Nation was also being evacuated this week, with 1,300 members needing relocation. A majority of the fires have been man-made, as is typical for this time of year. Of the 111 total wildfires in Manitoba this season, 100 are believed to be human-caused while six are under investigation and another five are believed natural. 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Alberta also experienced a warm spring and is braced for heatwaves leading into summer. Current models forecast Central Canada will remain dry and hot throughout the summer. Fires have also been whipped up by strong winds and a lack of meaningful rains, conditions which are set to persist in much of the fire-stricken until later this week. Hundreds of communities are under Environment Canada's air quality warnings. The severity of smoke in any particular area can depend on factors such as wind direction, speed and fire proximity, according to the agency. A large part of southern and central Manitoba has been blanketed with hazardous levels of smoke. Advisories have also been issued for communities in northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan and north western Ontario. Smoke caused by the wildfires has extended from the Midwest states into the plains and even as far southeast as Georgia. Minnesota, in particular, was placed under a statewide advisory, while multiple bordering states have advised their people to reduce exposure by staying inside as much as possible and keeping doors and windows shut. Health authorities are recommending the use of air filters at home or for going to locations with filtered air, such as libraries or malls. U.K. skies were also covered in a dull haze this week as smoke apparently carried across the Atlantic. Fumes also blew over into the Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Greece a little over two weeks ago, with more expected in the coming weeks, according to the climate monitoring service Copernicus. The haze is hovering at high altitudes and poses no health risks, experts say, but has obscured the sun in an orangish haze. Wildfires release small particles in the air that are more harmful than regular air pollution. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map shows moderate to severe concentrations of particles known as PM2.5 and ozone levels, in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. These particles are used as a measure of air quality, with moderate levels affecting sensitive groups and more severe levels causing severe discomfort and even death. Young people, the elderly and those with heart and lung conditions are particularly at risk. At unhealthy levels, studies show an increase in stroke, heart attack and lung cancer among those who inhale wildfire smoke. 'Ground-level ozone and PM2.5 cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems and lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths, with costs of more than $100 billion, each year,' guidelines from the NOAA states. Wildfire smoke contributes to nearly 18,000 deaths a year, according to the Lung Health Foundation. It recommends keeping an emergency kit, filtering indoor air and checking carbon monoxide monitors to stay protected. At severe levels, the use of an air conditioner is not recommended. Instead, it is advised to check local governments for nearby cooling locations. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Observer
21 minutes ago
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Ottawa's wildfire aid to First Nations delayed and inadequate, NDP leaders say
As wildfires rage across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, displacing over 26,000 people — many from northern and First Nations communities — leaders say Ottawa's response has been both delayed and inadequate. The discussion reached a peak as NDP MP for Winnipeg Centre, Leah Gazan led an emergency debate on Tuesday in the House of Commons. Gazan accused the federal government of failing to protect Indigenous evacuees and violating their Charter and treaty rights. 'The federal government is obligated to uphold the dignity and well-being of First Nations that are affected by these wildfires,' she said. Gazan said First Nations leaders had told her evacuees — including children, Elders, and those with medical needs — were housed in crowded and poorly equipped facilities, creating risky and unstable situations. Families were split up and people were left without enough help in unfamiliar environments. Delays in evacuation efforts were especially severe in Mathias Colomb First Nation, where residents were flown out by helicopter, 'six people at a time when their airstrip was closed.' 'The helicopters are too slow and too small. We need the Canadian Armed Forces to step in now. Every hour we wait puts lives at risk,' said Gordie Bear, chief of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in a press release on May 30. 'Our community is in immediate danger. We have over 2,300 people stranded with no road access and no way out by plane.' 'The federal government is obligated to uphold the dignity and well-being of First Nations that are affected by these wildfires,' said Leah Gazan, NDP MP for Winnipeg Centre. Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, Eleanor Olszewski defended the response, calling it 'one of the fastest federal responses in recent memory.' Olszewski said the military was deployed immediately after the province asked for help. 'Our government acted swiftly when called upon,' Olszewski said. She said evacuations in remote areas took longer because 'when the landing strip could not accommodate larger planes, we had to source smaller ones, and so the evacuation was necessarily slower.' Gazan said that the current crisis is reflective of federal inaction during extreme weather events. She pointed to the 2011 floods in Lake St. Martin First Nation, when thousands were displaced for years and many could not return home for more than a decade. The long-term displacement led to mental health issues, family separation, and exploitation — especially among women and girls. She is concerned that the fire season arriving earlier, lasting longer and being harder to manage is 'the new normal.' She called for a national wildfire fighting force and a Youth Climate Court to help Canada respond to extreme weather and support climate resilience. Other MPs supported Gazan's concerns. Lori Idlout, NDP MP for Nunavut, said climate change is making disasters like these wildfires more frequent and severe, overwhelming local and provincial responders and raising concerns about housing, space and healthcare for those fleeing the fires. She said the debate is especially important for Nunavut, since many residents rely on Winnipeg for medical care and are now competing for resources with thousands of wildfire evacuees. 'My constituents must not fall through the cracks as Winnipeg sees a huge influx of people who require healthcare,' she said. Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services Canada, said during the debate the department gives advance payments so communities can act quickly during emergencies without waiting to be paid back. The Emergency Management Assistance Program covers eligible wildfire costs, including evacuation support and culturally sensitive services like mental health care, traditional food, language interpretation and child care. Gull-Masty also pointed to the FireSmart program, which supports fire training, fuel management and vegetation clearing projects in First Nations communities. 'Preparedness is key. These supports are about building strength before disaster strikes, so that communities can mitigate the impact to the greatest extent possible. It's not only to ensure that they have the ability to respond, but that they also have the capacity to recover and thrive,' she said. Wildfire activity remains high across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with dry conditions and lightning sparking new blazes. Manitoba Wildfire Service reported more than 100 active fires as of June 3.
CTV News
23 minutes ago
- CTV News
Ontario expected to pass controversial mining law; Ford warns against blockades
Protesters and community members chant and wave signs, as they listen to speakers during a demonstration opposing Bill 5, outside the Ontario legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto, Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is expected to pass a controversial mining law that gives it the power to suspend provincial and municipal laws for chosen projects in areas it deems to have economic importance. If Bill 5 ends up being challenged and found unconstitutional in court, Ford wouldn't say if he would use the notwithstanding clause to save it, but says that he would 'cross that bridge' when he comes to it. The proposed legislation has sparked an angry backlash from First Nations who say the bill tramples their rights and ignores their concerns and they have warned they may blockade roads and railways in protest. But Ford said Wednesday that wouldn't be 'very wise.' 'You can't break the law,' Ford said. 'Simple as need to move on or they'll be dealt with appropriately.' When asked to clarify his comments, Ford said he doesn't direct the police and any enforcement would be up to the Ontario Provincial Police or local police services. The legislation proposes to create so-called 'special economic zones,' where the government could suspend laws in order to speed up projects such as mines. Ford cites the need to move more quickly on mining places such as the Ring of Fire in order to strengthen the province's economy while it is under attack from U.S. President Donald Trump. NDP deputy leader Sol Mamakwa, who represents the northern Ontario riding of Kiiwetinoong that is home to many First Nations and the Ring of Fire, said that Ford is not listening to their concerns. 'This is not the wild, wild west,' he said, surrounded by several people who flew in from various communities in his riding. 'We are the ones that live in these communities on these lands. He does not live in those cannot vote legislatively bulldoze your way. These are the people that will stop that bulldozer coming north.' Ford's government is fast-tracking the bill and limiting third-reading debate and while the opposition parties tried to stall the bill at the committee stage, it is set to return to the legislature Wednesday afternoon for third reading and an expected final vote. In response to the growing backlash, Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford and Mining Minister Stephen Lecce said late last month that the province would amend Bill 5 to explicitly include duty to consult provisions throughout the legislation. That amendment did not end up making it in the bill due to the tactics the Liberals used in committee. Ford said it's unfortunate that opposition parties wanted to 'drag this out,' but his government will consult with First Nations over the coming months. 'When it comes to duty to consult, which is very important, and we are going to do it, if they have an equity partnership it moves like greased lightning,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025. Liam Casey and Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
