Madam Speaker, I am here tonight to address once again what continues to be a worsening condition in my home province. The flood waters of the Red River are still on the rise. Yesterday Premier Filmon declared a provincial state of emergency.
Our minister responsible for Emergency Planning Canada, the Minister of National Defence, was in southern Manitoba recently and attempted to meet with Mr. Filmon and to inspect the situation.
During yesterday's question period I had the opportunity to discuss the situation with the hon. minister. Given the time constraints, the minister was unable to address the specific measures the Government of Canada has taken and is willing to undertake in the future. Tonight I greatly appreciate the opportunity to further discuss the matter.
I will put the present situation into a historical context. This is certainly not the first national disaster although it may be the worst flood the province has seen in 100 years. The memories of past floods are etched into the minds of those who suffered through them. We refer specifically to 1950, 1966, 1979 and 1996. In each of those years neighbours and communities pulled together to help each other.
The province of Manitoba did its share to co-ordinate emergency efforts. Along with the Government of Canada it was there to provide strategic support and in the end financial assistance to help recover some costs associated with the disaster.
When the incident is over the financial aspect bears some scrutiny and discussion. Financial assistance has been given according to a disaster assistance formula put in place back in the seventies. Since 1970 the federal government has paid over $53 billion to the province, a substantially higher amount in proportion to other provinces of similar size. This is due through no small part to the severe and devastating floods that have occurred on a fairly regular and repetitive basis.
Under the DFAA arrangements the federal government is permitted to assist provinces when the cost of responding to major emergencies such as the one we are facing now puts undue strain on the provincial economy. When this happens financial assistance is requested by the province of the federal government. The amount of federal assistance is in accordance with a cost sharing formula based on the provincial population and eligible provincial expenses as spelled out under DFAA guidelines.
The province receives invoices from the municipality, catalogues them and forwards them to the federal government for its scrutiny. The province may however provide more generous assistance than what the guidelines designed between the province and the federal government actually state. As a senior minister from Manitoba stated earlier today in a media interview, it is up to the province to develop and deliver its own program of assistance to victims of a disaster according to the nature of the disaster and the needs of the people deeply affected.
Recently the Government of Canada committed to compensate the amount of $1.25 million for funds for Manitoba in 1993 and 1995 regardless of what the disaster assistance guidelines clearly state. It is a one-time payment which does not set a precedent. It is a generous way of showing that the Government of Canada is committed to compensating equally and fairly all Canadians who have endured a natural disaster. It displays the level of generosity the federal government needs to express to those areas hit.
We would ask the minister's representative to kindly clarify what measures the Liberal government is taking to ensure that in the middle of such confusion Manitobans can be assured of equal and good treatment in the future.