Visiting the region hard hit by fires for the first time since wildfire season started, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government is there to support the B.C. government and First Nations in the region.
“What Canadians do is stick up for each other in times of difficulty,” said Trudeau. “I know the outpouring of support last year and again this year and we are all heartbroken at the extraordinarily difficult situation people are going through. People have lived in these communities for generations and there is a deep attachment.”
Trudeau met with Grand Chief Ed John from the Tl’azt’en Nation and BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee in Prince George. The prime minister promised to strengthen communications with First Nations and close the gap of support.
John presented a report last year to the federal and provincial governments proposing $200 million of funding a year for First Nations in B.C. to deal with emergencies. Trudeau told John and Teegee on Thursday that the federal government will ensure that First Nation communities affected by this year’s fires will get what they need.
WATCH: Justin Trudeau meets with officials handling response to B.C. wildfires in Prince George
“You fight fires with equipment, you fight fires with personnel. That is the work that we are doing right now,” said Trudeau. “I have had lots of conversations to understand the gaps. The municipalities get resources from the provinces but when the neighbouring Indigenous community turns to the province, ‘well we need resources, well you are a federal responsibility’ we have to clear up those lines of flowing resources. Ensuring people get what they need.”
The Nadleh Whut’en first nation is under evacuation order because of the ongoing Shovel Lake fire. The largest fire in British Columbia has grown to nearly 87,000 hectares. Members of the Nadleh Whut-en have been concerned about a lack of support and many have stayed in their community to protect their own homes in case the fire shifts towards their homes.
“We expect things like this, so we totally prepared ourselves,” said Louie.
“I kind of figured we were going to be on our own on this thing,” said Nadleh Whut’en member Martin Louie last week.
WATCH HERE: Wildfires force B.C. to declare province wide state of emergency
Trudeau was also asked whether the federal government would consider taking over co-ordination efforts in wildfires across the country. The prime minister said that provincial firefighting authorities are “extraordinarily capable” and the federal government is there to provide support.
The BC Wildfire Service is in charge of the wildfire fight and the federal government has provided resources as requested. Trudeau added that it is often not necessary for the federal government to get involved and the focus needs to be better integration and not Ottawa taking over responsibilities.
WATCH: Horgan meets Trudeau in Nanaimo for discussions
“This is obviously a second really difficult year for wildfires in B.C.,” said Trudeau. “We need to ensure we learn how to protect people, protect livelihoods and how we adjust to what unfortunately is a new reality of extreme weather events across the province, across the country and around the world.”
WATCH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanks first responders tackling the B.C. wildfires
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