Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs.
It is a true pleasure to contribute to this important debate on the wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. I truly want to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for proposing the debate this evening. Not only is it important, but I also very much appreciate hearing the stories and the experiences of those who have been impacted, and all of those who are trying hard to resolve the issue.
I am the very proud member of Parliament for the constituency of Davenport. It is located in downtown west Toronto. While we do not have the kind of wildfires that we are now seeing in western Canada, we are also very much impacted by the wildfires. In our local newspaper in Toronto today, it said, “Wildfire smoke from Western Canada and Northwest Ontario is spreading to Toronto, causing hazy skies and potentially health hazardous air quality.”
In saying this, I know that in no way, by any stretch of the imagination, is what we are experiencing in Toronto anywhere near what is happening right now in western Canada or the impact on the many communities currently experiencing active wildfires.
I want to begin by saying a heartfelt thank you to the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience. I want to say thanks to the Minister of Indigenous Services who spoke earlier this evening. I want to thank them for their respective leadership. I am very proud of not only their leadership, but also their quick action and their compassionate and culturally appropriate support. I am also proud of the work Canada is doing to support those impacted by the wildfires in each province.
Our thoughts are with Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are once again facing the devastating impacts of severe climate events, including the wildfires currently affecting Manitoba, Saskatchewan and surrounding regions. People have been forced to flee their homes, many from remote and northern indigenous communities. These are not abstract figures. We are talking about families and entire communities facing danger, hardship and uncertainty.
Climate events are displacing families and challenging our emergency response systems in ways Canada has not experienced until recently. I join all members of the House in expressing deep gratitude to the firefighters, first responders, volunteers and members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are working tirelessly to protect lives and communities during this incredibly challenging time. I am pleased and relieved to share that, over the weekend, the Canadian Coast Guard helicopters were deployed to support the evacuation efforts in Manitoba.
Once again, I want to thank my colleague the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience for her leadership in coordinating the federal response to this crisis. On May 28, the province of Manitoba submitted a request for federal assistance due to wildfire impacts. The next day, on May 29, the Canadian Armed Forces mobilized up to 18 aircraft to assist and immediately begin evacuating communities at risk, particularly the Mathias Colomb first nation's approximately 3,500 residents. On May 30, the Canadian Coast Guard joined the evacuation effort and mobilized an additional two helicopters, which were operational as of June 1.
Led by Public Safety Canada, various departments, including Indigenous Services Canada, Transport Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and the Public Health Agency, all contributed to both the evacuation of communities and the care of the host communities to which they were relocated.
In addition, non-governmental organizations, such as the Canadian Red Cross, the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada and St. John Ambulance, played an important and vital role, while dynamic weather and smoky conditions in the area continued to challenge evacuation efforts. From May 29 to June 2, 3,612 people were evacuated and brought to safety from Mathias Colomb, Cross Lake and Norway House.
Sadly, Canada is currently facing approximately 180 active wildfires nationally, with 72 classified as out of control. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre has arranged for out-of-province domestic and international surge support to firefighting efforts in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Nunavut.
The Canadian Coast Guard is part of the integrated whole-of-government federal response system. Our marine and air assets are deployed in coordination with other departments to maximize impact and meet the needs of Canadians. As emergency management in Canada is a shared responsibility, our systems are built on partnerships, co-operation and respect for jurisdictional roles. Provinces and territories lead in response to emergencies within their jurisdictional mandate, and the federal government supports them when the situation exceeds their capacity or when specific federal assistance is requested.
As a national government, our role is clear. We are to respond swiftly and effectively to requests for federal assistance from provinces and territories when asked and stand with Canadians in times of need. Our government has responded with urgency and a coordinated whole-of-government approach. This is not just about responding to requests for assistance or respecting jurisdictional roles, but about supporting each other as people and as Canadians. Our government is working closely with provincial authorities, indigenous leadership, local governments and non-governmental partners, such as the Canadian Red Cross, to ensure that the federal response is not only timely but also integrated and responsive to the realities our communities are confronting.
Beyond delivering its own programs, the Canadian Coast Guard plays a vital role in supporting the mandates of other federal organizations during major incidents, such as wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. As a first responder agency, it contributes air and marine resources, emergency management expertise, and humanitarian support, including assistance to community evacuations.
I will give members a few examples. In response to record snowfalls in Sydney, Nova Scotia, in February 2024, the Canadian Coast Guard cadets and helicopters swiftly acted following a request for federal assistance from the Province of Nova Scotia. Another example is when, in the summer of 2023, the Canadian Coast Guard supported the Northwest Territories in responding to the devastating wildfires threatening Hay River and Yellowknife. Finally, in the aftermath of hurricane Fiona's destruction across the Atlantic provinces in 2022, the Canadian Coast Guard was there to support Canadians in need.
In the face of climate-driven emergencies, our commitment is to not only respond and support but also adapt. Our government is working to strengthen Canada's emergency systems to meet these evolving challenges and increase our country's collective resilience as it will continue to face increasingly severe climate events. The amount and frequency of climate-related disasters has placed growing demands on the Canadian Coast Guard's response capabilities, but by leveraging investments from the oceans protection plan, the Canadian Coast Guard is amplifying its capacity through community partnerships and enhanced training and exercises.
The government also remains committed to advancing reconciliation and supporting indigenous self-determination through partnerships that enable indigenous communities to participate in marine response planning and emergency preparedness. We are building a more inclusive and resilient response system.
I would also say that interoperability is a core principle in emergency management. A cohesive response is only possible when all partners can communicate effectively, operate within compatible systems and understand each other's capabilities. That is why we continue to invest in joint training exercises, shared information platforms and harmonized response protocols.
Finally, our commitment goes beyond the current crisis. We are working to build a Canada that is not only capable of responding to today's emergency but also prepared for tomorrow's floods, storms, extreme heat and other climate-driven emergencies. This involves aligning emergency management planning with climate adaptation strategies to withstand extreme weather events and equip indigenous partners with the necessary tools to protect communities. In times of crisis, Canadians come together to show the strength of our partnerships, the depth of our compassion and the resilience that defines us as Canadians.