Among the tools that the government can use is its Disaster Assistance Response Team, made up of members of the military and civilians from Global Affairs Canada.

Monique Balmforth’s brother and sister-in-law area have been stranded in St. Maarten since Hurricane Irma hit, and she tells Angie Seth the response from the Canadian government has been very slow.

A Toronto-based aid organization says it's sent four people to storm-battered St. Maarten to deliver supplies to those affected by Hurricane Irma.