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.”
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.
Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Comments
Has anyone investigated what each of the provinces have done. Aren't they responsible for the wildfires also? Have the provinces cut back on funds for these types of natural events or have they increased funds and equipment knowing that climate change is an actual fact. We all know which Premiers are the naysayers when it comes to climate change and that they find it easy to attack the Federal Government when it, for some reason, makes their voters support them. It is journalism's responsible to inform the public and frequently explain how these things work otherwise we get misguided events like that Convoy mess a few years ago full of angry people not really knowing what they were angry about.
Last I heard from Scott Moe? Saskatchewan didn’t need Ottawa’s help . The Saskatchewan Government was on top of things.
It is up to the Provinces to ask the Federal Government for help or, take’ the offer of help.
Let’s not forget, under the Trudeau Government the provincial leaders wanted the Feds. to back off’ ..
When they needed them the Premiers would call them.
I’m tired of the Federal government being blamed for the incompetence or lack of caring from the Provincial leaders. It’s their jurisdiction, remember..
The Federal Government is there! CALL