香蕉视频直播楶ulling together in terrifying times香蕉视频直播�: Trudeau visits wildfire impacted Okanagan

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited West Kelowna last Friday (Aug. 25) to meet with local firefighters, city officials, and the media to discuss the Grouse Complex wildfires that have affected three Central Okanagan communities.

香蕉视频直播淭his has been an extraordinarily difficult summer for so many Canadians from coast to coast to coast as communities have been hit with wildfires, extreme weather events on top of all the other economic events people are facing,香蕉视频直播� Trudeau said during a news conference at Fire Hall 33.

香蕉视频直播淭he one thing we香蕉视频直播檝e been able to see everywhere across the country is communities stepping up to be there for each other.香蕉视频直播�

The prime minister took a question from an individual who had been evacuated about where the money would come from so that people and communities could rebuild.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e seeing more and more intense weather events, insurance is going to get more difficult for people to obtain, even for those who can obtain it and we know that falls on all of us to be there to help communities and individuals who香蕉视频直播檝e lost everything, having to rebuild,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淎ll orders of government will be there to work together to make sure Canadians are getting through this that香蕉视频直播檚 what our job is.香蕉视频直播�

Trudeau did not announce any funding or programs to help those affected by the wildfires.

He was also asked if the federal government would consider stable funding to municipalities for infrastructure, including wildfire interface programs, instead of communities having to rely on winning grants.

香蕉视频直播淲hen we got elected in 2015 we made a commitment to invest in infrastructure that previous federal governments simply had not,香蕉视频直播� Trudeau said.

He referred to his government香蕉视频直播檚 recent $3 billion in permanent, yearly transit funding. 香蕉视频直播淚 think we need to start looking at that around emergencies, we certainly need to start looking at that around infrastructure investments so that cities can make plans to continue to grow.香蕉视频直播�

A news release from the federal Conservative Party, sent out at the same time the prime minister was speaking, claimed that during the 2021 election, Trudeau promised to train and equip 1,000 woodland firefighters and provide an additional $500 million to the provinces and territories to buy essential equipment to increase their ability to fight fires before the 2022 fire season.

香蕉视频直播淥f the $500 million he promised to the provinces 香蕉视频直播� $177 million was cut and diverted to a new satellite that won香蕉视频直播檛 launch till 2029,香蕉视频直播� said the Conservative Party statement.

香蕉视频直播淏udget 2022 then spread the remaining funding over five years, with only $15.6 million earmarked for 2022 香蕉视频直播� just 3% of what Trudeau promised.

香蕉视频直播淎s of December 1, 2022 not a single firefighter had even begun to be trained.香蕉视频直播�

West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom, whose community has been hard hit by the McDougall Creek wildfire, said he is hoping to see greater investment from the federal government.

香蕉视频直播淚n wildfire mitigation and planning. I believe we could use more support in emergency management programs, particularly emergency support services,香蕉视频直播� Milsom said. 香蕉视频直播淢ore sustainable, ongoing funding would be very much appreciated, that was my ask.香蕉视频直播�

Regional District Central Okanagan board chair Loyal Wooldridge pointed out that Electora Area West was devastated by the McDougall Creek wildfire.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e calling on the federal government, the provincial government, to look at our emergency operations centre as a year-round model,香蕉视频直播� Wooldridge said.

香蕉视频直播淩ight now we香蕉视频直播檙e pulling from municipalities working off the side of their desk.香蕉视频直播�

He would also like to see the federal government provide sustainable infrastructure dollars to invest in things such as fire halls and Westside Road 香蕉视频直播渨hich is very important to service rural and remote communities.香蕉视频直播�

Asked about support for year-round emergency services, Trudeau said the focus right now is getting through the wildfire crisis in the Central Okanagan.

香蕉视频直播淲e know, unfortunately, extreme weather events are going to get more frequent, more extreme in the years to come,香蕉视频直播� the prime minister said.

香蕉视频直播淲e have to learn from what香蕉视频直播檚 worked and what hasn香蕉视频直播檛 worked as well as it could have and put that in place.香蕉视频直播�

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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