Thank you.
A famous German chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, said that laws are like sausages—it's better not to see them made. Politics is not for the squeamish. We are here to ask uncomfortable questions, because we need to get the uncomfortable answers.
The fact is that, at the very beginning of this study, when we had Minister Guilbeault, Parks Canada officials and another minister, Minister Sajjan, they made claims that everything that could be done had been done. They made claims that no stone had been left unturned in the preparations to prepare Jasper for the fire.
It's only through the efforts of members of this committee, particularly the Conservative members of this committee, who have been fighting for additional meetings, fighting to get answers so that Canadians can learn the truth.... We've had excellent witnesses, such as you yourselves and other witnesses, who have come forward with very compelling evidence that this government did not consider indigenous knowledge. They did not consider the knowledge of our forest products associations, and they did not consider the knowledge of foresters like Ken Hodges, who warned this government in 2017 of the risk of fire.
I do take exception when members of the government team.... I know it's uncomfortable for them to have these meetings and to be held accountable, but that's their job—to be held accountable. It's my job to come and ask witnesses to get the truth for Canadians. That's why we're asking these questions.
Mr. de Souza, I'm going to start with you. You've said quite clearly that you think this fire could have been mitigated. Are you aware of any prescribed burns that were cancelled this past year just for Jasper park?