Mr. Speaker, today will be a very emotional day for Albertans as the first group of Fort McMurray residents returns to their city to witness first-hand the fate of their homes.
There is likely not a single Albertan, let alone a Canadian, without a family member, friend, or colleague impacted by the fire. My own cousin, a nurse in Fort McMurray and her husband, a senior airport employee, were evacuated and are now kindly hosted by Edmonton friends. Both look forward to returning home.
Everyone is grateful for the valiant work by the firefighters, from local indigenous firefighters to those from across the nation and the globe, and for the generous donations from near and far.
Recovery will be a long process. Fort McMurray Strong needs a long-term commitment from the federal government to help tackle the daunting task of recovery, rebuilding of critical infrastructure, and fire mitigation. Canadians will be here for them for the long term.