Debates of June 3rd, 2025

Wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising in particular Candle Lake. I know we have a mutual friend who holds that community very dear. I am glad he brought that up.

Something he talked about was what Premier Moe was talking about, the surge capacity with water bombers. We know that building water bombers cannot be done overnight. We have De Havilland, now outside of Calgary, building world-class water bombers, but unfortunately all the orders for the foreseeable future are going to European countries. There is technology and equipment in this country to retrofit the Hercules, a military aircraft, to deliver water bombing.

With the military being increasingly called on for natural disasters, I want the member's thoughts on what needs to be done to ensure that the military is well funded and supported so its members can do whatever job they are asked to do, including fighting natural disasters.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, that is a great question. What is the role of the military when it comes to forest fires and emergencies? Our military is spread very thin, and if it is required to go somewhere else in the world and we still have this scenario going on in Canada, heaven forbid, I wonder if it can handle all that at the same time. The member also makes a good point about the ability of Canadian industry to build water bombers. We have all that technology in Canada. We just have to commit to it and say that it is something we make a priority.

The government over the last few years has watched Canada burn. It has done nothing proactive to create a scenario where there are resources put in place to be there for Canadians. I would encourage the government to change that view, have a fleet in place, sit down and talk to the premiers about how this fleet will operate and be funded, and make sure Canadians are taken care of, because it is our communities and future at stake.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I will not get a chance to expand on this, but one thing that really impressed me when I was able to visit one of the evacuation centres was some of the volunteers, in particular some of the non-profit groups out there. One thought that came across my mind is that maybe we need better coordination among the many different volunteer organizations and groups out there. The provinces can work with Ottawa and vice versa and maybe develop some sort of registry. I am interested in the member's thoughts on that concept.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is an interesting question. I was just talking to a lady on Facebook who said it has the ability to bring these organizations together so we can go on Facebook and find them. There are solutions out there. It is about putting our heads together and finding a mechanism so they are all in one place to activate them.

The member brings up a good idea, and I think it is something we should consider and pursue. Maybe it is something a committee could study to see what it looks like.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate you on your new role in the chair. You look great. I know it is something you are going to do an incredibly good job at, and that you will let me speak on and on tonight as I need to.

Since this is my first opportunity to rise in the chamber, I want to send out my thanks to the great people of Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for putting their trust in me again, for the eighth time. It is something to always get that support, but it is a humbling experience, because the chair I sit in is their chair, and I get to amplify their voices, which I will be doing tonight.

I want to thank my campaign team and the volunteers for making the election possible, and of course my family, who started on this journey with me over 22 years ago when I first ran for the nomination.

I am glad we are having this debate tonight. The forest fires we are dealing with really speak to the challenges we are having in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and they are something we have experienced across the country in the past. The Lac du Bonnet area is in my riding. The Bird River fire is largely in my riding. We know that in Manitoba there is a province-wide emergency in effect.

The Bird River fire is now over 198,000 hectares. It is out of control, and I am sure it will be over 200,000 hectares by the end of tonight, which makes it the largest forest fire in the province. Almost 1,000 people were evacuated because of that fire when it first started in the Lac du Bonnet area. There were 28 homes and cottages destroyed, mainly on Wendigo Road. Evacuation orders in the Lac du Bonnet rural municipality and the rural municipality of Alexander have been lifted, and people are now starting to return home.

Unfortunately, there was the tragic loss of two lives in our riding: Sue and Richie Nowell. I want to extend my sincere condolences to their family and friends. I know this is heartbreaking for their sons, TC, Ryland and Emmett, and this is a huge loss for our community. The Nowells were volunteers who were active in the community, and they were loved and respected by all their neighbours and friends. People who lost their homes and cottages can rebuild them, but the lives lost or the memories that were lost in those homes can never be replaced.

I have to extend my greatest gratitude to the first responders: firefighters, police and EMTs. They have all stepped up and done what they could in a fire that was completely out of control and moving so fast over a week ago that it consumed and overran our community. There have been so many volunteers who have been there, stepped up and helped out. I thank the municipal leaders and their staff in all the municipalities in the affected area for being there, providing guidance and support to those who were evacuated.

The Province of Manitoba has done an outstanding job of working with the municipalities and with frontline responders, making sure we have resources in place. That is a large credit to the provincial emergency management organization and the emergency management co-ordinators right across the province, at the provincial level but also at the municipal level, which have all come together to support the fight against the wildfires.

The Canadian Red Cross and the Manitoba emergency social services are running shelters, making sure everybody has a place to go when they are evacuated and that they are cared for. Manitobans have also opened up their homes and their wallets. They are helping everyone who has been evacuated from their homes because of the out-of control wildfires. The number of evacuees stands at over 17,000 in Manitoba as of last night.

Other provinces have kicked in, with personnel and equipment from Alberta, B.C., New Brunswick and P.E.I., to help fight the wildfires across Manitoba, and there has been help from Parks Canada. I want to thank all of them for chipping in. We have water bombers. We are lucky in Manitoba as we have a fleet of water bombers. Seven of them are operated by Babcock, and they are the CL-415 and CL-215 water bombers. Babcock also has three 690 “bird-dog” aircraft.

Air Spray, which is an Alberta-based company, has four water bombers on contract to the Province of Manitoba full-time. It has four of the CL-415 aircraft. Minnesota has also chipped in with a couple of water bombers and one “bird-dog” plane. Resources have been brought in, and people are fighting the fires.

As we just heard, the smoke is everywhere. Nobody can overlook the magnitude of how serious the tragedy is and how dangerous the situation is. It is important that people follow the evacuation orders that are coming from the province and from their local municipalities. Let us make sure they are not going back to homes when they are in the line of the fires.

I am proud to continue to serve as the shadow minister for national defence. I want to thank our leader, Pierre Poilievre, for again putting his trust in me to carry forward this portfolio. I want to give a shout-out to the Royal Canadian Air Force, which has stepped up, providing logistical support as well as aircraft to help evacuate some of the remote northern communities, like Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and Pukatawagan, and the Pimicikamak Cree Nation. Those communities are in a really tough situation, so it was important to get everybody out of there to safety.

Some people may have questions around the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces with respect to their use of military personnel and equipment to help fight the forest fires. The provinces always have the ability to ask, under part VI of the National Defence Act, for aid to civil power. We need to make sure our provincial authorities can rely on them when needed. The Province of Manitoba has used that twice now in the evacuation of both Pukatawagan and Pimicikamak. The province asked; the armed forces delivered.

There has been talk here already about dual use of different aircraft. I would just say, though, that whether or not the Canadian Armed Forces has the capabilities right now to carry on its operations as well as to support aid to civil power through Operation LENTUS domestically, we should always know that we do not want the provinces to fall back and think that only the armed forces can provide the relief when it is called upon, because in times of crisis, the armed forces may be elsewhere.

The current situation, thanks to the lost Liberal decade, is that we do not have enough personnel, we do not have modern equipment, and our air force is in desperate need of new fighter aircraft. The Hercs are starting to age out, and the C-17s already have over 15 years on them. We want to make sure that the Canadian Armed Forces can be all it can be, and can be there to help Canadians when needed, but that means we have to fix the recruitment crisis. We have 10,000 troops who are undertrained and undeployable. We have another shortage of 8,000 troops on file because so many have left the Canadian Armed Forces because of the current situation under the Liberal neglect and mismanagement.

We did a report on aid to civil power in the last Parliament, through the Standing Committee on National Defence. We talked about the role of the Canadian Armed Forces in domestic operations. There are things we should look at, and the government has responded to the report. I am more than happy to answer some questions about it if anyone is interested, because of my role as vice-chair of that committee.

The other role the federal government has, of course, is through the disaster financial assistance arrangements between the federal government and the provinces and territories. I want to make sure the federal government is providing clear direction to the provinces, the municipalities and Canadians who are affected by this disaster so they can get the help they need and know where the help is going to come from. The province is the lead agency on this, for sure, but the federal government will be stepping in, adjudicating the claims and providing financial support to the provinces, municipalities and individuals who are impacted.

We need better coordination with the provinces from the federal government. We need to have a better emergency preparedness plan. Right now, that is lacking at the federal level. We know there needs to be better support provided to our firefighters, especially our volunteer firefighters out there, from the federal government in tax incentives.

As it was already mentioned, arson is a huge issue. We need mandatory minimum sentences for those people who are going around lighting fires just to create a show, which is endangering lives, people and property.

Again, let us make sure we stand up for those who have been victimized by these crazy fires and thank those who are helping.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I will reserve another opportunity to talk about the military. I know that the member across the way is really keen on military spending and so forth, but that is for another day.

I wanted to add my condolences for Richard and Sue Nowell from the Lac du Bonnet area. It really was quite a tragic wildfire that encircled them and ultimately led to their death. It is a very tragic and sad story. I offer condolences to their family and friends, and to the community itself, which really felt the impact of that fire in a very real way when it found out about the deaths.

As the community of Lac du Bonnet stepped up in a very real way, providing soup and sandwiches for firefighters, and things of that nature, at the local arena, I wonder whether the member could provide his thoughts in regard to how the community itself stood up at a time of need.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Winnipeg North for expressing his condolences to the Nowell family as well. I know that we are all very grateful to the great people of Lac du Bonnet for how they have stepped up.

Whether it is the volunteer firefighters; the municipal operators; the volunteers who have opened up their homes and opened the arena, which they used as a centre of operations; everybody who was out there fighting the fire; or all the support crew throughout the entire municipality as well as in the municipality of Alexander, which is right on top of the municipality of Lac du Bonnet, they are delivering what needs to be done.

The fire is still growing. It is still huge. Nobody is out of the woods yet, to use the saying, but we know that roads are shut down, like Provincial Road 315. There are people who cannot even get to work—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon has the floor.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for very moving speech, since he hails from the province that has declared a state of emergency.

He said that the provinces and Canada may not have enough equipment to deal with the increasing number of natural disasters. He said that Manitoba will even need international aid. There is talk of getting reinforcements from Mexico, Australia and even Costa Rica to help our forest firefighters.

Does he think it is time for the provinces and Canada to get everything they need and for us to build all the aircraft we need right here so we can deal with current and future natural disasters?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I know that in the province of Manitoba we are lucky that we have a fleet of water bombers that are operated under contract by two different companies. We know that Minnesota has also sent up some aircraft.

There is no doubt that, as was mentioned earlier, there might be a desire to have surge capacity at a federal level. There is a moral risk with that too. If provinces see that the federal government has a large fleet of water bombers down the road under a new department or under the emergency preparedness ministry through public safety, would that mean that other provinces might not want to invest in their own firefighting capabilities? That moral hazard has to be weighed into the discussion as to whether the federal government takes over those types of assets rather than provinces—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake has the floor.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is truly wonderful to see an Albertan in the Speaker's chair.

As the member for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, I am absolutely, unfortunately, quite familiar with the devastation of forest fires and what an impact they have on communities. In his speech, the member touched on the fact that many members in Manitoba have been able to open up their hearts and their homes to the evacuees. I was just wondering whether he could talk a little more about some of the supports that are available, because people who are evacuating from fire perhaps are tuning in tonight to listen here—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I have to interrupt the member to give the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman some time to respond.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my friend is right. Many different organizations, service clubs and community organizations right across the province have stepped up and have organized volunteers from every community to help those who are in need.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Repentigny.

Although it is a sad occasion, I feel privileged to speak this evening in this emergency debate as the Bloc Québécois critic for public safety and emergency preparedness. I want to begin by saying that the Bloc Québécois stands in solidarity with the people currently grappling with the consequences of the wildfires, the disaster victims and all those affected, directly or indirectly. The Bloc Québécois also offers its condolences to the families and loved ones of the two people who were tragically killed when they were trapped by the wildfires.

We know that Manitoba has declared a state of emergency because of the extent of the wildfires that have been raging in the province for several days. Over 17,000 people primarily located in northern Manitoba communities are facing evacuation, including the 5,000 residents of Flin Flon. People are also seeking help in Brandon, Le Pas and the provincial capital.

According to TVA, as of today, June 3, some 97 blazes are out of control in the western provinces, including 12 in Manitoba, 20 in Saskatchewan, 28 in Alberta and 37 in British Columbia. According to Radio-Canada, the largest burned areas are in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, both of which are in a state of emergency. Evacuations are ongoing, especially in remote indigenous communities surrounded by fire.

We know that direct personal experience with a natural disaster or a tragedy causes significant psychological and physical impacts. It can also leave behind scars related to traumas such as loss, grief and fear. We know that individuals with existing health issues, such as lung problems, have an even harder time coping with the smoke and poor air quality still present in their environment.

The Bloc Québécois would like to recognize all those who have been working tirelessly since the beginning to control the fires, as well as those who are supporting all the affected communities, municipalities and territories. These include the forest firefighters, police officers and first responders who are putting their lives and their health at risk to do all they can to bring these fires under control. We are also thinking of volunteer organizations such as the Red Cross and all Quebeckers and Canadians who are volunteering their time to help the affected communities. We recently learned in a press release from the Red Cross that the governments of Canada and Manitoba have pledged to match all donations made between May 28 and June 27, 2025, to the 2025 Manitoba wildfires appeal.

I will quote the Red Cross in the hope that my colleagues will be inspired to make a donation: “Donations to the Canadian Red Cross will be used to assist those impacted in Manitoba with immediate and ongoing relief including financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them”. In addition, for those who are suffering and in need of support and recovery, the Red Cross will be able to help with “recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, [and the funds raised will support] community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Manitoba”.

Our thoughts are also with the armed forces personnel who have been called in to assist. Our thoughts are with municipal authorities and their staff, as well as members of the first nations communities affected by these wildfires. We were saddened to learn from Radio‑Canada that indigenous leaders in Manitoba are calling for federal government action, citing a lack of coordination and equipment in their communities to fight forest fires. As we know, in Canada, emergencies are first managed at the municipal level, mainly by hospitals, police services and fire services. Municipalities can reach out to their province or territory for assistance. However, if the emergency gets worse and exceeds their capacity, the provinces and territories can request assistance from the federal government.

On May 28, for example, the Canadian Armed Forces lent a hand by deploying an aircraft to support evacuation efforts for members of both the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and the Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba. They also offered logistical support. The Public Health Agency of Canada was also approached and provided assistance through the national emergency strategic stockpile. Provinces and territories may request these assets during public health emergencies or events when their own resources are depleted or not immediately available. These assets include personal protective equipment, therapeutics, beds and blankets.

In this disaster of exceptional magnitude, the provinces are showing up for one another in tangible and meaningful ways. In these types of situations, coordination between all stakeholders and all levels of decision-makers must be as efficient as possible and must be carried out quickly and urgently. We know that the Quebec government is currently providing assistance to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. Eleven major wildfire management specialists from Quebec are expected to arrive in Alberta shortly. Some 60 firefighters and several SOPFEU representatives are scheduled to leave for Manitoba today, June 3.

Despite the tensions between the United States and Canada, a lot of help is flowing from the United States to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia. More than 125 American firefighters have come to lend their Quebec and Canadian colleagues a hand. In addition, most Canadian provinces already have boots on the ground to ease the load on forest firefighters.

The fires are so big that authorities are already in contact with Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica and other countries to ask for additional firefighters. Tonight's debate highlights the fact that the priority is on fighting the fires, helping residents and protecting public health. The current situation and others from recent years show that natural disasters are increasing in scope and frequency. They are no longer the exception. Emergencies are now the norm, and their human, economic and environmental costs are rising.

It goes without saying that, in the short term, the priority is collaboration between the various departments and authorities concerned. The fires need to be extinguished and the victims rehoused in the best possible conditions. However, the emergency needs to be under control before we can assess how the crisis was managed and determine what could be done differently. We do not know whether tonight's emergency debate will really help those on the ground. Unfortunately, major forest fires have become the norm, as have emergency debates. We keep reiterating the importance of prevention, environmental and public health protection, and climate change adaptation.

Parliamentarians and the government have a duty to seriously consider the rising costs associated with the impacts of climate change. We must understand that, in order to reduce these costs, we need to invest in measures to adapt to the effects of climate change. In the context of the current emergency, the Bloc members are available. We stand with the affected communities and victims in the western provinces. We know that this sentiment was shared by our colleagues during the devastating fires that raged in Quebec, mainly in Abitibi and on the north shore, in the spring and summer of 2023.

We have no doubt that the members from the affected provinces are aware of the causes and consequences of these mounting disasters, which have direct repercussions on the lives of their constituents. These mounting natural disasters should lead us, as public decision-makers, to take preventive action. We must ask ourselves what action must be prioritized to reduce the impact these disasters have on the public, the communities and the land.

In closing, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I once again offer our warmest thoughts and our complete solidarity with the affected communities, victims and first nations. I would remind my colleagues that the important thing is to develop the autonomy we need to independently deal with the many challenges that come with major emergencies like forest fires and floods. It has become inevitable.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am sure the member would agree with me that one of the encouraging aspects is that it has really brought the nation together in the sense that individuals from across the country are contributing in different ways, whether it is monetarily, through prayers or through personal involvement. Different levels of government are also getting engaged. I think we should, at the very least, be acknowledging that so many people are recognizing the harm that is being caused; they are wanting, willing and, in many cases, actually participating in helping to resolve the wildfires that Canada has today.

Would the member perhaps like to comment on that aspect?

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Madam Speaker, we are seeing more and more of these disasters. Quebec went through something similar in 2023.

We must think about what public policy makers can do to put preventive measures in place. It is clear that we will have to adapt to climate change. It is not enough to fix the damage; preventive action needs to be taken.

It appears that the government still has a lot of work to do to put preventive measures in place in an effort to prevent or mitigate the impact on our communities.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Madam Speaker, this debate cites Manitoba and Saskatchewan, but my home province of Alberta has been impacted by these wildfires as well. A number of years ago, there was a disagreement between the Province of Quebec and the federal government related to the Species at Risk Act. One of the indirect consequences of the Species at Risk Act that I have been informed about is its impact on increasing the risk of wildfire, because if we do not clear areas of dead forest, we increase the risk that these wildfires are going to be more devastating. When these wildfires happen and devastate our forests, there is no shelter left for wildlife species like caribou.

I wonder if the member could tell us a bit about the Quebec perspective on forest management and how we can do better to protect our wildlife and also protect our communities from wildfires.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am not a forestry expert. I do know that forest management is a provincial responsibility, which puts it within the jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces, and that each province manages its own forestry sector. I am not all that familiar with my colleague's claims that improper forest management could be the cause of some fires. I am therefore unable to answer my colleague's question.

I think that everyone needs to remember that forests are a renewable natural resource that must be looked after. We are currently living with climate change. The Bloc Québécois believes that it is important to consider rapid and preventive action to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Several specific things can be done, and all kinds of solutions have been proposed. My colleague from Repentigny will no doubt have some suggestions.

We are at a point in our history where it is time to take real and preventive action to fight climate change.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, I congratulate the hon. member on her new role as a critic. In the 44th Parliament, I sat on the indigenous and northern affairs committee, and one of the studies that we did was on emergency preparedness. I encourage her to look at it when she goes back to her office.

One of the recommendations that we made was for the federal government to work with the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council to improve the capacity of communities to respond to wildfires. Wildfires have been becoming more frequent, and this recommendation was actually a repeat of a 2018 recommendation as well.

I wonder if the member agrees that the federal government really does need to work with the council to ensure that communities have the capacity to fight wildfires.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that there is nothing better than collaboration among all levels of government to find solutions to what indigenous communities may be experiencing. I know the current situation in Manitoba is hitting them the hardest. They are literally surrounded by flames. I know some indigenous leaders have complained that they do not have everything they need to stop the forest fires.

I strongly encourage the provincial and federal governments to sit down with indigenous leaders to find solutions to better intervene and protect indigenous communities.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Madam Speaker, we are taking part in an emergency debate this evening because of a very serious situation that has unfortunately become far too common. At this time, our thoughts are obviously with the people who are affected by the fires, as well as with the authorities and workers who are fighting them. I am particularly attuned to this kind of human tragedy, which turns people's lives upside down and leaves an indelible mark on them. The current situation is a stark reminder that the scale and frequency of natural disasters are on the rise and that these incidents are no longer exceptions.

Today, we are taking part in an important emergency debate on wildfires, yet another one. Do not get me wrong. It is so important to have these kinds of debates, but when we have to keep doing it, maybe it is because Parliament needs to have a discussion and a debate about the root of the problem. It is time for us to have a real emergency debate on the climate crisis, which is hitting people around the world harder and harder, and Quebec and Canada are no exception.

At this time, it is completely irresponsible not to consider the fight against climate change to be in the national interest. However, the words “climate change” were not uttered once at the first ministers meeting in Saskatchewan yesterday. Worse, the government is looking at weakening environmental assessments to make it easier to approve oil and gas pipeline projects. Adding fuel to the fire by opening the door to oil and gas pipelines, when fossil fuels are the main cause of the climate crisis, is not prioritizing people's health and safety.

Indeed, as my hon. colleague said, people's health and safety are at stake. Canadian health associations are raising the alarm: Climate change is a health emergency. Just this morning, the Canadian Lung Association and its U.S. counterpart banded together to raise public awareness about the health risks associated with smoke from fires and forest fires.

Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are contributing to longer and more severe droughts. This is creating the conditions for wildfires and prairie fires to start and quickly spread. Unless we address the root cause by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in Canada and rapidly transitioning away from oil and gas, emergency debates like this one will continue to recur and pile up, because crises like this will only become more frequent.

Climate change is causing more intense and frequent devastation, exacerbating the already unacceptably high human, environmental and economic costs. Climate action is not an expense; it is a necessity and an investment to improve the quality of life of current and future generations. As we said during the election campaign, and reality has confirmed it, the climate crisis is creating human suffering and increasing the cost of living. The strain on our public finances from the increasing number of natural disasters is a striking example. Frankly, it is disheartening that the fires of the past few years, including record forest fires in 2023, have not led to enough meaningful action in Canada. After countless studies and testimony from experts, scientists, specialists and forest firefighters, we know very clearly that action must be taken and that solutions exist.

The Bloc Québécois has proposed real measures not only to limit the impact of climate change, but also to prevent risks and reduce the high cost of damage. In addition to serious human costs, Quebec and Canadian households are already absorbing the economic costs out of their own pockets.

It is important to remember that, according to past estimates, from 2013 to 2018, between 620 and 2,700 premature deaths occurred because of the short- and long-term effects of forest fire smoke. The acute health impacts of forest fire smoke cost an estimated $410 million to $1.8 billion per year, while the chronic health impacts cost up to $19 billion per year.

To reduce the human, economic and environmental costs, we need to invest heavily in reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change.

According to a Canadian Climate Institute report, for every $1 spent on adaptation, $13 to $15 will be saved on future costs. Over the last decade, the average yearly cost of weather-related disasters and catastrophic losses has risen to the equivalent of 5% to 6% of Canada's GDP growth.

There are many adaptation measures, including more resilient infrastructure, ecosystem protection and, of course, innovation. Other measures include nature-based solutions, such as techniques using traditional and indigenous knowledge. Adaptation measures are essential, but it is critical to stress that they will not suffice on their own. To be truly effective, adaptation must be tied to new mitigation measures, meaning reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The less we reduce emissions, the greater the impacts will be. The less we adapt, the higher the costs will be and the more we will suffer. Reduction efforts and adaptation measures must be seen as complementary and essential investments.

Unfortunately, under the current policies, we are headed for very dangerous levels of warming. Only significant and immediate efforts will limit the risks. That is why it is crucial to take a two-pronged approach by reducing CO₂ emissions while investing in climate change adaptation.

We understand the need to debate these issues. Yes, we agree that the first thing we need to do is get through this emergency. Unfortunately, just as major fires have become the norm, so have emergency debates in Parliament. Every year, we reiterate the importance of prevention, environmental protection, health and adaptation. As parliamentarians, our duty is to take the rising costs of climate change seriously and to take action.

I would like to conclude by saying that we are currently witnessing solidarity on a grand scale. From other countries to local volunteers, everyone is pitching in. All kinds of help is being provided by governments, emergency services, humanitarian organizations, citizens, communities and nations. The scope of our own responsibility, however, is even greater. In addition to managing the immediate crisis, we have a responsibility to make the necessary investments in adaptation and emissions reduction so that, one day, these disasters are no longer the norm, but, hopefully, the exception.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, as much as we hear a lot about the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, it is important to recognize that the wildland fires are also taking place in Alberta, northern British Columbia and northwest Ontario. There are thousands of people being displaced, and it is important that not only the federal government but also other jurisdictions and other provincial governments have been stepping up. I understand there has even been some international assistance in taking on the forest fires.

Could my friend provide his thoughts in regard to just how important it is that we come together and provide whatever resources we can in order to combat these wildfires that are taking place?

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Madam Speaker, I think this year is once again proving the importance of helping one another, whether that means amongst various communities in Canada or on an international scale. However, helping one another in the immediate crisis and acting quickly must also be done on another scale. It is hard to manage one crisis after another without being able to join forces internationally and ensure that the international community rises to the challenge of fighting climate change. Otherwise, all we can do is keep putting out fires.

Emergencies cannot be managed on a week-to-week or month-to-month basis. We need a comprehensive game plan. This will require contributions from both Canada and other countries, and they must be much more ambitious in terms of emissions reductions. Otherwise, we will not be able to adapt to a world that is 2°C or 3°C warmer, which, unfortunately, is where we are currently headed.

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Madam Speaker, the member talked about the increasing frequency of emergency debates and of emergencies and disasters in our country. I am wondering if the member possibly has a solution to that. Maybe he has thought it through a little bit. Is there a way that we can address both the frequency of the instances of emergencies and how we approach them here in the House?