Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski has defended Ottawa's response to the ongoing wildfires in Ontario, stating that "nothing went wrong" with the federal government's actions. This assertion comes as hundreds of fires burn across the province, forcing evacuations and drawing sharp criticism from some First Nations leaders.
As of Thursday evening, 129 active fires were burning across northwestern Ontario, according to the provincial Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services agency. The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) passed an emergency resolution this week, alleging that federal and Ontario governments are failing northern First Nations. The AFN highlighted the case of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, whose members were forced to flee their homes by boat due to a lack of support from emergency management organizations.
Ontario's Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Jill Dunlop, had previously written to Olszewski requesting that Ottawa be prepared to deploy resources, including the Canadian Armed Forces, to support evacuations. Dunlop noted that 15 communities in northern Ontario were either evacuating or considering it. While the Canadian Armed Forces are on standby, Defence Minister David McGuinty stated that the province is "apparently capable" of handling the situation with some federal backstopping, and a formal request for CAF involvement has not yet been made.
Despite Olszewski's defence, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler has expressed frustration, stating there has been a "total lack of an adequate response" from both levels of government and calling for the military to be deployed to assist with evacuations. The current wildfire season has seen 3,137 fires nationally, burning 1.4 million hectares, with concerns over continued dry conditions in some regions.
