Fort McMurray wildfire

[Smallc]

Is Justin Trudeau doing anything to help end the fires? Reports are it could double in size and head for Saskatchewan. Is he doing anything other than photo ops? Is he coordinating with other provinces, states and countries to help? I don't see any urgency in the Justin Trudeau government at all.

What should he do? The federal government has provided emergency supplies, SAR helicopters, transports on the ground and on standby, and will pay for much of the reconstruction. They're not a fire department. There is an organization for interpeovincial cooperation based in Winnipeg to handle firefighting. It is, after all, provincial jurisdiction. I'm not sure what you expect. Other than the garden hose.

[Shady]

What should he do? The federal government has provided emergency supplies, SAR helicopters, transports on the ground and on standby, and will pay for much of the reconstruction. They're not a fire department. There is an organization for interpeovincial cooperation based in Winnipeg to handle firefighting. It is, after all, provincial jurisdiction. I'm not sure what you expect. Other than the garden hose.

Lol, more excuses for the wonder boy. What do I expect him to do? More. Surely there's avenues for requesting help from other provinces or even states? After all, during bad wildfires in the southwestern United States, Canadian fire fighters helped out. What's the wonder boy going to do when it spreads to another province?

Probably fiddle.

[Smallc]

Lol, more excuses for the wonder boy. What do I expect him to do? More. Surely there's avenues for requesting help from other provinces or even states?

That is the place of the provincial government, not Ottawa.

After all, during bad wildfires in the southwestern United States, Canadian fire fighters helped out.

Other provinces and states send what they can when requested. Apparently, pretty much everyone west of Ontario is in the same position. Quebec and Ontario have sent people and aircraft, and Manitoba, though unable to send firefighters because of our own fires, has sent a Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team to help Fort McMurray where needed.

and What's the wonder boy going to do when it spreads to another province?

I would assume he'd do the same thing as he did in Alberta - assist in every single way that the province asks and that Ottawa can provide.

[Smallc]

Ottawa has sent a Chinook to transport people and supplies where planes can't get them. Today it delivered supplies from the Government of Alberta to Fort McKay First Nation.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Smallc

[BubberMiley]

But surely there's some angle for those who are more interested in politics than people's livelihoods to blame this on PM Justin Trudeau! If you've already referred to it as "PM Justin Trudeau's Katrina" before you even had a clue what was going on, you'd look even stupider if you had to change that based on actual information.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Michael Hardner
EDITED

[BC_chick]

I have steered clear of making any political judgments about this issue (other than calling out both sides of the coin for doing so) but alas my time has come.

Why on earth is Trudeau not accepting international aid??

[Guest]

I have steered clear of making any political judgments about this issue (other than calling out both sides of the coin for doing so) but alas my time has come.

Why on earth is Trudeau not accepting international aid??

We are willing to extend it whenever it it is requested. I see no problem with accepting it when it is offerred.

[Smallc]

Why on earth is Trudeau not accepting international aid??

I would assume it isn't needed, and I doubt he made that decision on his own (he would have had input from Alberta). There is no other country with a more developed forrest fire fighting infrastructure. Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick have all sent equipment, and apparently, they have a handle on things. The Fire in Fort McMurray was beyond anything the world could throw at it last week.

[Smallc]

We are willing to extend it whenever it it is requested. I see no problem with accepting it when it is offerred.

We send things requested that are in need. It's likely we didn't need what they were offering (leaving aside the Russian offer - I don't really trust their intentions).

[Guest]

We send things requested that are in need. It's likely we didn't need what they were offering (leaving aside the Russian offer - I don't really trust their intentions).

That's a pretty big water bomber. You think it's full of Russians...?

[Smallc]

That's a pretty big water bomber. You think it's full of Russians...?

I don't think it's a trojan horse, if that's what you're asking.

[BC_chick]

I would assume it isn't needed, and I doubt he made that decision on his own (he would have had input from Alberta). There is no other country with a more developed forrest fire fighting infrastructure. Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick have all sent equipment, and apparently, they have a handle on things. The Fire in Fort McMurray was beyond anything the world could throw at it last week.

Who cares how awesome we are, it's out of our control and everyone pretty much concedes that much.

When he turned down Russia I thought it was principle but the US and Mexico? It makes no sense.

[Guest]

I don't think it's a trojan horse, if that's what you're asking.

I was gonna say, they'd all drown first time out.

[Smallc]

When he turned down Russia I thought it was principle but the US and Mexico? It makes no sense.

What could they offer that other provinces are not already providing, besides manpower...which other provinces are providing?

[BC_chick]

What could they offer that other provinces are not already providing, besides manpower...which other provinces are providing?

Oh yeah only manpower. Meh who needs it.

[Guest]

It's always nice to take a little help when it's offered. It gives people a chance to repay any debts they may feel they owe, and makes them feel good.

[Smallc]

Oh yeah only manpower. Meh who needs it.

It seems they just felt it wasn't necessary.

[cybercoma]

it's out of our control and everyone pretty much concedes that much.

They do?

[Smallc]

"The decision was made by the firefighters in the emergency management system that (foreign help) wasn't necessary because of the nature of this blaze," Goodale said following question period.

http://www.haidagwaiiobserver.com/national/378703321.html

Edited May 10, 2016 by Smallc

[cybercoma]

I don't know much about fighting wildfires, but I think it's safe to assume that if the people fighting it say foreign help is unnecessary then foreign help is unnecessary.

[Smallc]

I do know a lot about fighting fires (thought not all that much about wildfires). Help isn't always welcome when it doesn't have proper training.

[Derek 2.0]

Why on earth is Trudeau not accepting international aid??

Exactly........The Russians have more experience fighting fires in boreal forests than the Americans and Mexicans..........I think Trudeau's reason for the rejection is obvious though, despite saying he would seek better relations with the Russians, Russians fighting forest fires in Canada would be seen as a political embarrassment to Trudeau ...plain and simple.

--------------

[Derek 2.0]

We are willing to extend it whenever it it is requested. I see no problem with accepting it when it is offerred.

Exactly, mostly when Trudeau promised better relations with the Russians........I'm sure the ethnic Ukrainian population would love Trudeau welcoming the Russians

Here's a better one to ponder........thousands of Canadians are sleeping on foam mats and cots in community centers and gyms, in cramped quarters that have resulted in a viral flu outbreak.......but when we brought the Syrians in, we put them up in hotels with meal allowances, in some cases for months (and some still in hotels)........if we can afford to host Syrians in Canadians hotels, why can't we put Canadians up in hotels? There are plenty of now vacant hotels (with the downturn in oil) in Edmonton/Leduc/Nisku......

[Smallc]

Here's a better one to ponder........thousands of Canadians are sleeping on foam mats and cots in community centers and gyms, in cramped quarters that have resulted in a viral flu outbreak.......but when we brought the Syrians in, we put them up in hotels with meal allowances, in some cases for months (and some still in hotels)........if we can afford to host Syrians in Canadians hotels, why can't we put Canadians up in hotels? There are plenty of now vacant hotels (with the downturn in oil) in Edmonton/Leduc/Nisku......

You of course know, (I hope) that refugees sponsored by the Government of Canada are the responsibility of the Government of Canada, where disaster evacuees are the responsibility of the province.

[BC_chick]

They do?

Yes, everyone from from the field to Ralph Goodale have repeatedly said it's out of control.