Canadians are concerned, and I am concerned, because I just had flash flooding in Winkler two days ago, and I had three tornadoes. This issue is live across every one of our regions and very recently has become particularly relevant to my region.
Accurate forecasting for flooding, for droughts and for emergency situations of extreme weather events is very important, and it seems to me that this legislation is a plan to make a plan to come up with a plan in two years. As for any specifics within the legislation, which has already been passed in the House of Commons in a previous Parliament, the government has now decided that, no, we shouldn't take on that onus: We should neuter this relatively benign “plan to make a plan” legislation. I am fairly baffled as to why the government feels it is necessary to neuter this piece of legislation.
My question is this: If you're a mayor in a flood-prone area of my region or across this country, or if you're a farmer who is watching drought or flood forecasting, or if you're a provincial emergency response director, if this legislation becomes law, are you going to be any further ahead in any awareness about future floods or droughts?