Evidence of meeting #123 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fire.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
—I just wanted to make sure that the official answers.
They deserve answers. The contamination was withheld from them. If you met with them, if the government met with them very recently and did not disclose that, that feels even more appalling.
Senior Vice-President, Operations, Parks Canada Agency
Well, we did discuss it when we were there—that there could be federal contamination—and we said that we would look into it and have, but I think your other question was on evacuation routes, and there was a commitment made between ourselves, the Alberta government—
Senior Vice-President, Operations, Parks Canada Agency
Sorry—you asked about if the dock could be used for emergency evacuation, and I'm just trying to answer that question.
We did say that an all-season road should be something that—
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
If you don't mind pausing on what you've said, the site was deemed contaminated as early as 2017, according to the statement from these three nations. Your government deemed it contaminated years ago, so....
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Our time is up, unfortunately.
We'll go to the second five-minute round. It's Mr. Lloyd who is leading off.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Thank you, Minister.
You're experienced with disasters, Minister. You're a former military man. I'd like to get your perspective. I'm going to ask you a direct question and I'd like to get a direct answer.
Knowing what you know now about what happened in Jasper, was it a mistake for the government not to conduct more mechanical clearing operations and more prescribed burns to protect the townsite of Jasper?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
What I can tell you, and what I was briefed on, on the ground with the premier and the Alberta Wildfire service, is that everything that could have been done was done, and I believe Mayor Ireland can attest to that.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Minister, I think you're avoiding the question here.
I understand that Alberta Emergency Management and the town may have done everything they could have done in terms of FireSmart and in terms of positioning emergency response equipment to react to a fire once it happened, but I'm asking about what happened before that, in the years before the fire started, in the years since 2017, when Ken Hodges and other scientists warned your government that not taking action on mechanical clearing and prescribed burns to protect the Town of Jasper was setting up the Town of Jasper for a catastrophe.
Knowing what you know now, Minister, and with your extensive experience, will you say whether or not it was a mistake for Parks Canada not to more extensively clear the forest and use prescribed burns to protect the Town of Jasper?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
The only thing I can tell you is what I have been briefed on when we were involved with the emergency. What we were briefed on, on the ground, with the premier and other ministers, is that everything that could have been done was done. In fact, if the preparation hadn't taken place, the whole town could have been lost.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Well, Minister, we could have avoided the town being burned down at all if we had taken extensive action to clear the dead pine beetles that scientists warned your government needed to be cleared in order to prevent the fire in Jasper.
I'm asking you, Minister, one last time. You saw it with your own eyes. You saw what happened. Are you not willing to admit that clearing more forest and using more prescribed burns could have prevented the Town of Jasper from being burned down?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
What we will be doing is going through a lessons learned exercise to determine the lessons we can learn to apply not only for that area but also for the rest of the country as well.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Minister, it's pretty shocking that you won't give a direct answer to that question, but I will move on to my next question.
Liberal
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
I just find that the member opposite is questioning the minister's integrity by repeating that question and then—
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
That's not true, but that's not a point of order.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
—questioning that again.
It's Standing Order 18, by the way.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Thank you.
I'll move on to my next question, Minister.
You did talk about a time of reflection, and I think that is important, but we need not just to reflect: We need to take action.
I've been told by scientists and people on the ground that the Town of Jasper is still at significant risk, particularly to the northwest of town, where there still are significant stands of pine beetle-infested dead pine trees that pose a significant risk to the town.
What is Parks Canada doing immediately to prepare the Town of Jasper to face this risk so that we don't have a repeat of what we had this last summer?