We will start with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After Bill Blair emergency preparedness minister. Also Natural Resources Minister Johnson and Wilkinson put their money I became minister for mica
will conclude with the minister of the family Karina Gould. There'll be a question period with the Prime Minister. About 15 to 20 minutes he will be leaving after that. The Minister of Immigration shown freezer ministers Stephen Gable and the Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vondel will be present but will not be speaking at the beginning. But all the ministers will be staying longer to take questions. Mean Prime Minister Trudeau you have the floor
ballroom to promote. Good morning here today. We stand with the hundreds of courageous women and men fighting wildfires across the country. We stand with the communities who have been evacuated and with people from coast to coast to coast who are enduring this painful, heartbreaking time. Here today with ministers Blair Wilkinson Gould GIBBO Fraser, and vandal to talk about the federal response to the devastating wildfires we're seeing across the country. Mr. Wilkinson will have more detail in a moment but our modeling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer. We're going to get through this together and our government will keep being there with whatever it takes to keep people safe and provide support. Two weeks ago, I went to Edmonton and spoke with the Canadian Armed Forces members who are helping in Alberta's firefight. I also met with many people from communities that had been evacuated. Some of them had only a few hours to pack. They were told to bring pets important documentation medication, and that's it. This is a scary time for a lot of people, not just in Alberta, but right across the country including in the Atlantic, north and Quebec to think of people like Katherine in Nova Scotia. Even though she's lost her home, she found time to get help to her friend who's also affected and didn't want to be alone to see what was left of her own place. But people lose their homes. It don't just lose a roof in their professional possessions. They lose a special place where they saw their children grow up where they built a life for themselves. This is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking. Canadians will continue to be there for you and with you. In the last week, I've spoken with Mayor savage of Halifax Merlok of Shelburne and Premier Houston as well as with Premier Smith and other local leaders. Usual Japan we have it the Prime Minister Liu Good luck.
So this ago I spoke with Premier Legault about the wildfire situation in Quebec. I also talked about I talked with the mayor and Lusa and the head of luxury, Madame Mike McKenzie, we spoke about the situation on the ground. As you are aware, members of the armed forces have already been deployed to help several wildfires cannot be predicted predicted. So it's important to listen to local authorities to make sure that everyone sees safe
government is here to help. So far we've approved three requests for federal assistance in Alberta, in Nova Scotia and in Quebec. This includes deploying Canadian Armed Forces members for things like personnel to aid and firefighting roles, airlift resources and engineering support. Minister Blair will go into more detail about the status of this work in a moment on what we're doing to keep people safe right now, year after year, with climate change, we're seeing more and more intense wildfires and in places where they don't normally happen that's why we've invested to train more community based firefighters across the country. For example, we've worked with the Yukon First Nations wildfire partnership to train 130 wildland firefighters in Yukon and northern British Columbia. in Newfoundland and Labrador. We partnered with the new nation to train community members in Manitoba in Ontario and in many other places. Our support allowed more firefighters to be trained. And last week, we announced that through the wildfire Training Fund, we're supporting over 300 indigenous firefighters and 25 indigenous fire guardians to be hired and trained this season. I variable of Santa AVF service the fruit
through the center, the Canadian insurgency Forest Fire Center, we are collaborating with other countries to fight against the wildfires here and throughout the country for example, in the past, we sent Canadian firefighters to support firefighters in other countries like the United States and Australia. And scenes were facing very intensive fires. Here. We are receiving hundreds of firefighters from other countries to support us,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and France for the firefighters they've already sent and will continue to send over the coming days and weeks. And on top of that we're engaging further with other international partners but more reinforcements over the coming weeks beforehand. I know there's a lot of Canadians who are asking how they can help to the federal government and the Government of Alberta are coordinating a donation matching program with the Canadian Red Cross. 2023 Alberta fires appeal so every dollar donated will become $3 in support to those affected by wildfire in Alberta. And as announced last week we will set up a similar donation matching programs to help people in the Northwest Territories and in Nova Scotia. This is a difficult time for many Canadians. If you have friends or family members who are affected. It's important to continue being there for one another. I want to thank the volunteers, first responders CAF members and of course the firefighters who are doing their work like the true professionals they are. I know that firefighters are often away from their family. I was talking with the CDs the chief of defense staff about how some calf members are personally affected by fires. Some have had their homes damaged, some have seen their families evacuated. But despite all of this, they continue to step up to help and protect others Thank you. To all Canadians. Let's continue supporting our firefighters by listening to local authorities across the board, whether it's with members of the armed forces to Parks Canada resources to firefighters and equipment, the Coast Guard Health Canada and the Service Canada support which minister Gould will speak about shortly. Our government is standing up support to keep people safe today and for wildfire seasons to come. I'll now turn it over to Minister Blair Seaton.
Thank you Prime Minister. Already Chairman. Good afternoon everyone. Begin by providing a bit of a situational update to date. There have been 2214 wildfires nationally so far this year, and approximately 3.3 million hectares have been burned. And across the country, there are currently 413 wildfires burning and 249 of those fires are deemed out of control. There are also 18 active wildfires specifically impacting first nations with six in Alberta, five in Saskatchewan, one in the Northwest Territories, four in Quebec and two in Nova Scotia. And as of yesterday, an estimated 26,000 people remain evacuated from their homes across the country. I will acknowledge that the images that we have seen so far this season, and are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada. And the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher than normal fire activity. Releasing the information that we're providing today will allow people and governments to prepare and because they know that when they are prepared, we can reduce the risks that these events pose and it enables us to position the resources and the supports that Canadians may need and be ready to mobilize them. If the situation requires. The Government Operations Center supports the planning work and provide stable around the clock coordination of the federal response to all emergencies. They constantly monitor evolving risks and liaise with the provincial and territory officials to ensure a swift, smooth and coordinated approach to provide any federal aid or province or territory may require including by reaching across the entire federal system to activate different supports that any jurisdiction may need. And to the exceptional work of the government operation center. We have been able to respond quickly to request from federal assistance from both Nova Scotia and from Quebec and this is of course is in addition to the requests that we approved from the province of Alberta last month, and it has led to the mobilisation of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and assets in both provinces with certain further supports being provided by other federal departments and agencies. And for example in Alberta there are roughly 150 Soldiers currently deployed in support of firefighting tasks in the Fox Creek region, and unfortunate born in Quebec there are now 150 soldiers deployed to this FTL region and in Nova Scotia. We provided ignitions ignition specialist personnel and equipment to support their efforts and an immediate response unit consisting of 200 soldiers and second battalion of the Royal Canadian regiment. They have now completed the necessary type three firefighting training, they're ready to immediately deploy from CFB Gagetown and once the province assesses that conditions are suitable and safe, they will continue and commence firefighting operations. In addition, firefighting support is also being coordinated by the Canadian interagency Forest Fire Center, commonly referred to as CFC. And since 1982, CFC has coordinated the sharing of firefighting resources between the federal, provincial and territorial agencies responsible for wildland fire management and with our international partners as the Prime Minister indicated, these resources are shared on a formal basis to a mutual aid agreement which outlines three categories of resources. They provide support of equipment, personnel and aircraft, and during periods of escalating wildland fire activity CFC matches the agencies that have specific resource needs, with the agencies that have resources available. This season, personnel and resources have already been deployed between provinces and territories. And as the prime minister acknowledged, we are very grateful to support Canada has received from our international partners including Australia, the United States, New Zealand South Africa, and other countries to come. We are expecting further deployments from these countries, including France in the coming days and weeks, and we have been assured that CFC continues to find the necessary firefighters, personnel and assets to support the firefighting operations across Canada. In addition to the work of CMP, and on forces, Public Services and Procurement Canada is working closely with the government operation center and standby to provide technical support and expertise in civil engineering for bridges, buildings, or other damaged critical infrastructure. PSPC can also provide emergency contracting support for goods and services, air assets and temporary accommodations, as well as warehousing service for emergency stockpiling equipment, which may be required to support the response. NGOs, including the Canadian Red Cross are supporting multiple regions across the country, community organizations and local volunteers are providing essential support, care and compassion. To people who are under immense personal stress. And their work represents a key component of Canada's response to these emergencies. with federal and provincial contributions. Our matching program with the Government of Alberta and the Canadian Red Cross has raised over $22 million and we've also committed as the Prime Minister indicated to similar matching programs with Nova Scotia, and the Northwest Territories. I want Canadians to know that all orders of government are working closely together with your safety in mind and with a high degree of cooperation and collaboration. And I'd like to take the opportunity to thank my provincial and territorial counterparts and all of the many municipal leaders that we've spoken to for their excellent partnership and hard work. The situation remains serious, but there have been very some very positive developments over the weekend. On Saturday, Alberta rescinded their provincial state of emergency rain and cooler temperatures have brought much much needed relief to Nova Scotia and to the firefighters first responders, search and rescue personnel are members of the Canadian Armed Forces who continue to move into danger to keep our community safe. We recognize your heroic service to Canadians, and we offer you all our collective thanks. Thank you very much, Betsy. I'd like now turn it over to my colleague, Minister Wilkinson.
Thank you, Minister Blair. Good morning, everyone. I also want to acknowledge the incredibly challenging circumstances that folks across the country are facing and the ongoing efforts of firefighters volunteers and everyday Canadians who are stepping up to support each other. As I said last week, the federal government is here to support Canadians and at risk communities throughout this year as filed for fire season and into the future. A set of natural
Natural Resources Canada is therefore working in close collaboration with different partners to develop a model that predicts wildfire dangerous throughout the year. These models are regularly updated and made available to the public to ensure that they are as precise and timely as possible.
We released our updated modeling for the wildfire season. It is in a word sobering. It shows that the risk of wildfires is set to increase in June and remain unusually high throughout the summer across country. It shows us that this year is already devastating season could well get worse. It is important to note that this model anticipates risk levels not actual fires. With good fortune it is possible that the full extent of the risk does not materialize. But with preparation we must be ready for whatever happens this year and into the future. Every province and territory will need to be on high alert throughout this wildfire season. While this is not yet Canada's most severe fire season, if this trajectory continues it very well could be in terms of historic averages of area burned we have seen 10 times normal so far. Going forward as usual. Natural Resources Canada will continue to update its modeling to keep all Canadians apprised. While provinces and territories have primary responsibility for firefighting personnel and equipment this federal government has recognized that additional firefighting resources will most certainly be required moving forward. We have also recognized the need for work to help at risk communities adapt to the impacts of a changing climate, say poor quality of Bucha
that is why the 2022 Federal Budget committed $516 million for wildfire mitigation, response and surveillance and to improve the federal coordination during emergency response
hours to enable provinces and territories to buy specialized firefighting equipment. To train new firefighters and to incorporate indigenous traditional knowledge in our fire management systems. This past year we contributed to six provinces and territories to acquire firefighting equipment. This has been critical for our counterparts in the procurement of vital resources such as vehicles mobile units, avionics upgrades, hoses, pumps, and enhanced communication equipment. It's expected all provinces and territories will participate in the fun this year. And last week, I announced that under the first phase of our wildfire training program, we had signed agreements with nine indigenous communities and organization to help train more than 300 indigenous firefighters and 125 indigenous fire guardians all across Canada. As I noted last Thursday, and in light of the urgent wildfire conditions in Canada, my department is pleased to be working with the International Association of Firefighters who advanced a pilot project that would increase Canada's wildfire lighting capacity. This project will be focused on training structural firefighters to respond to fires in the wildland urban interface due to the particular risks those fires posed to homes, communities and infrastructure. The top I suppose we have to say
work is constantly on upfront and we intend to send as many firefighters as possible on the ground. This means more people with the skills knowledge and expertise in communities that needed most
Natural Resources Canada will continue to monitor and model wildfires and wildfire risks in Canada. We are also going to enhance our abilities to do so with the $170 million investment in wildfire stat satellite mission the world's first purpose built public satellite system for monitoring fires, which is targeted to launch in 2029. Once operational wildfires that will help reduce wildfire losses help us defend communities and avoid unnecessary evacuations. Allow us to better protect our resources, infrastructure and environment. Inform emergency decisions reduce health problems associated with smoke and air pollution and help prevent more disastrous fires. There's also the default of
wildfires certainly took place before we started to clearly see the acceleration of the effects of climate change however, we are now experiencing a new reality. One where we need to pay attention to what science is telling us
in there to provide assistance to provinces and territories that require near term support. In the long term. We are also making investments in building the capabilities that Canadians will most certainly need going forward. And of that has made combatting wildfires a high priority over the last number of years. And with the accelerating impact of climate change. We very much will continue to do so moving forward. Thank you very much. And now over to my colleague Minister Gill.
Thank you, Minister Wilkinson. I too would like to join my voice of gratitude to all those who are involved in the emergency response, especially as many of them are facing very challenging situations in their own personal lives as well. As my colleagues have said as the wildfire situation across Canada evolves, we will continue to make every effort to help and support those impacted to either develop most of Seattle, Canada,
employment and social development. Canada has set up an intervention group to manage emergencies to coordinate and plan our response. To wildfires and maintain services being offered to Canadians. We are focusing on service provision to Canadians affected by the wildfire situation. We need to show proof of flexibility to allow quicker access to services and to provide services as quickly as possible through direct deposit using mobile services and Service Canada
outreach units to evacuation centers to support applications for services such as employment insurance for those affected by the wildfires. ESDC continues to deliver and prioritize applications for income support, including Ei, OAS, GIS and Canada Pension Plan. We have also put in place additional procedures to facilitate ei claims where employers are not able to issue records of employment, or where paper checks may not be deliverable due to the wildfires. In addition, Service Canada is actively conducting wellness checks on temporary foreign workers. We're checking on them by contacting their employers. See who's at and Tobiah efficacy back
if you are a worker affected by the wildfires, I strongly encourage you to apply for unemployment insurance benefits online, by telephone or in print person as soon as possible. Even if you do not have your employment document your applications will be processed as a priority
appliers apply for ei benefits online, by phone or in person. Even if you do not have your record of employment. Your application will be prioritized. If you are an EI, CPP or OAS. recipient who has not signed up yet for direct deposit. I strongly encourage you to do so. So you can receive your benefits sooner. levers on the check puppy.
Delivery of Pupil checks by the postal service may be disrupted because of the affected zones. You could register by direct deposit by sending an application through Service Canada, a worker would contact you two days after application. You could also communicate with the call center responsible for the benefits you receive in submit
an E Service Canada request online to get help with many services including but not limited to CPP your Social Insurance Number, passport and Ukraine immigration measures. Service Canada employees are also available to help through the Service Canada outreach support center the toll free number is 1-877-631-2657. No seven can they prove it?
We know that predictions indicate that there's going to be extreme wildfires throughout Canada Service Canada employees will continue being there to support all those who are affected by the wildfires
in the support services to anyone anywhere in Canada who has been affected by these wildfires. You are not alone. Please do not hesitate to reach out to a Service Canada center or the outreach Support Center. If you need assistance. We are here for you. Thank you.
Now we'll start with questions.
15 minutes and then the ministers will stay until about one o'clock. So we will start in the room and then we will go virtually those who are connected. Can we use the raise hand function on our command see a vector actually,
we'll start with Ashley Burke's CDC.
Prime Minister right now it takes about four to five days to train Canadian Forces members who don't have training already in areas like Nova Scotia is that fast? Enough? And a lot of what we're seeing right now should the Canadian Armed Forces play more of an active specialized role and a bigger role in fighting fires here in Canada?
The Canadian Armed Forces have demonstrated their capacity to respond to extreme weather events. unfortunately all too often over the past years and have developed extraordinary expertise in supporting provincial firefighters and other emergency responders. It is true that there has been a greater concentration of forest fires wildfires out west in recent years then in been in Atlantic Canada. But through training and through transfers of calf personnel from west to east, the Canadian Armed Forces are more than able to respond to the necessary challenges for the longer term. We're going to continue to look at lessons learned including to this difficult summer to make sure that we are ready to face the increased risk of extreme weather events in the coming years.
And Paul Bernardo has been transferred from a maximum security facility to a medium security facility. What do you think of that? Is there anything that your government can do to reverse that?
I fully totally understand how shocked and appalled so many Canadians are on hearing those news, that news Minister Amanda Chino came up very strongly last week, indicating that he was going to find clear answers and explain to Canadians what what happened and what we're going to be doing about it. I leave it to him to follow up on that
you guys are home to me the best across Canada team. Good afternoon, Mr. Prime Minister. Predictions indicate that one fire activity could remain higher than normal in July and August. Already the firefighters are working very hard and they've been doing so for weeks throughout the country. Monthly predictions could change of course. What are you telling those firefighters who are already there, and maybe already almost burnt out to make sure that they don't die? And so festival we tell them. Thank you. We know how hard they work year long to make sure that Canadians are safe particularly during this wildfire season. They spent extremely long days under very difficult circumstances. Of course they have entire support. And we are planning for succession and we have people abroad who are sending firefighters to help us we are in discussions with other countries to make sure that we have resources in the weeks ahead if the season extends beyond the summer, and we will also work in close collaboration with the various jurisdictions and regions to make sure that those who are protected protecting us from those fires are themselves properly supported and protected. Question in the same vein, if it continues in July, and in August at the level of the Canadian Armed Forces, does Canada have enough resources to make sure that support being sent be able to continue in July and maybe in August? And this is a question we are all thinking about. We are planning for additional resources for the next month. I put the same question to the chief of defense staff when I spoke to him on Friday, current predictions reassurance that we will have enough resources to deploy around the country. But we are aware that the situation can change so we are preparing a contingency plan. But we know that Canadians can rest assured that we are going to do all that is necessary to protect them throughout the summer.
Given the very serious projections of what this summer's wildfire seasons could look like this is a question whether there'll be enough resources for the entire summer for all the potential wildfires that come up. This is actually a question I posed directly to the chief of defense staff when we had a conversation about wildfires on Friday. With the given projections It is expected that we have enough resources to cover the summer if things get worse. We have we are developing contingency plans and we will of course make sure that we are there whether it's leaning more on international supports, whether it's standing up other resources. We will be there to ensure that all Canadians are protected rights to this summer.
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Yes, sir. Good afternoon, I guess it is at this point. I'm wondering given that even the experts earlier today the fire experts blame climate change for some of this fire activity the Minister of natural resources mentioned that why has your government continue to approve fossil fuel projects when climate scientists have said that we need to stop doing that?
Come on. Our government has put forward some of the most ambitious plans and targets out to fight climate change have certainly any previous Canadian government but also more ambitious in many of our allies around the world, certainly among fossil fuel production producing company countries. We know given in the international context, including the war on Ukraine, there is going to be a need for fossil fuels and traditional resources for the coming years. At the same time, we are investing more than any other government has in investing in renewables in new forms and new reliable sources of energy because we know that getting to net zero by 2050 by hitting our climate targets by 2030 is a way to both protect Canadians from the extreme weather impacts of climate change over the coming decades and ensure great jobs and a competitive economy in a netzero World Canada can and will be the net zero supplier of choice in in the coming decades. And we are investing in order to get there.
The Correctional Service of Canada had the ability to waive the privacy rights of Paul Bernardo in order to explain to Canadians and particularly the families of the victims in this case, why he was being transferred. Do you think they should have done that? And would your government do anything to make sure that that can happen?
That is exactly the kind of conversations that Minister Amanda Cheaney was having with Correctional Services of Canada this week.
But if you do mash
Canada, good afternoon, Prime Minister. We know that the wildfires will keep growing over the years. Could Canada set up a special squad? A federal special squad, and maybe a special appliance that doesn't belong to the army. We already have an inter agency forest fire center that was in place into over the past few years. And over the years, we've increased resources for the operation of this center. And we are constantly looking for ways of responding to this new reality of new wildfires and dealing with extreme weather events over the next few years. For now, we are reacting and responding to these immediate emergency in the country. But reflections have started already to make sure that in the coming years, we will have all the necessary resources we need and that's part of our reflections. Thank you. Question we are talking about 12 times more hectares that have been burned over the past 10 years. How much time do you think would Canada need to recover from the situation we know that communities like Luton have not yet totally recovered in their municipality, as we know that it takes years to rebuild houses and communities that were affected and burned down by those wildfires. But besides building without besides rebuilding, we need to think about building better to make sure that we have we think about that as at the same time we are increasing houses and creating new residential communities throughout the country. We need to think about the challenges that will come with more extreme weather events and more wildfires in the future. That's part of the conversations we are having with the provinces and cities, together with experts and we shall continue to participate in all these conversations and solutions
are embedded a few main National Post
Good afternoon content, we talk a little bit more about engaging First Nations communities and helping the wildfire fight numbers personnel, how many communities are involved, what sort of things are doing?
I will turn to two other ministers for more details but I can tell you from my own personal experience, a number of years ago, there was a wildfire in northern BC, where there were lots of learnings that we had about making sure that we were properly engaging not just the federal government but provincial governments with indigenous communities with First Nations communities who are not only there to stand and protect their communities but have expertise that goes back centuries and indeed, millennia in terms of knowledge on how to keep their community safe from wildfires. Over the past years, we have significantly increased the coordination cooperation with indigenous leadership and communities in a tripartite way federal, provincial, and indigenous and that will continue but I think, Bill, you can speak to this.
Yeah, just some numbers. I've mentioned some of these before, but there are currently 18 active wildfires. That are directly impacting first nations across the country. Six of those are in Alberta, five in Saskatchewan, one in the NW 84 in Quebec and two in Nova Scotia. There are have been already significant evacuations from those communities. There's been some damage to those communities as well as the result of these fires. And there are a number of places as well, where the communities are isolated currently. And those are some things that that we're dealing with, with those provincial jurisdictions and with indigenous Services Canada, we know that fire is a naturally occurring event, and particularly in the north, and in many of these communities. Quite frankly, that's been part of their history, and they're and they're, they're used to it but where there's an interface where that fire comes in close to their communities, when residents are at risk critical infrastructure or is at risk when when bridges and roads are compromised, power and water supplies. All of those things are very impactful we're working very closely with those communities. But there are have been a number of people who've been evacuated from their communities and we are supporting them currently. In other locales.
Second question for the Prime Minister, just a little off topic, but last week, we learned that special rapporteur David Johnston had hired a PR firm navigator, in your opinion is is this a good use of public funds?
We've seen unfortunately, from the beginning of me having appointed a serious Canadian to deal with a serious issue that the opposition parties, particularly the conservatives have chosen to make it about baseless personal attacks and extraordinarily toxic partisanship. I'm not going to speak to decisions that the independent special rapporteur and his team are making to manage the toxic climate that they're operating in. I will continue to stay focused, as will former Governor General David Johnston, on responding to the very real issues around foreign interference around the very real threat to institutions to our democracy to Canadians to businesses. That foreign interference represents. And I will continue to encourage the leader of the official opposition to get a briefing from our intelligence services and agencies so that he can base his critiques and his concerns in facts and not just continue baseless smear jobs against a Canadian of unimpeachable integrity in a former Governor General David David Johnston.
Attorney Benjamin Oliver CTV
Hi, the Conservative leader is threatening to block the budget and bring forward 900 amendments because he what he calls your government's inflation fueling actions. I'm wondering what you think of this characterization and the demands that he's made of your government.
The Conservative leader has no plan for the economy proposes nothing but cuts when he's blocking the budget that voted on is passing through the house with support of majority of parliamentarians. He's blocking things like the doubling of the tax credit for tradespeople on their tools. We know how important it is to get the construction season up and fully running through this summer. And yet the Leader of the Opposition is blocking tax credits for tradespeople to further new tools. He's blocking the anti flipping measures that we brought in in this last budget to protect homeowners and homebuyers from speculation. That's going to have a direct impact on Canadians and he's blocking the enhancement of the Canada workers benefit, which is going to continue to put more money in the pockets of hardworking Canadians who are struggling to get by. These are real life consequences for the political and partisan games. That the leader of the official opposition is engaging. The Conservative leader stood against Dental Care for Kids. He stood against help to lowest income, renters, and now he's standing against all the measures that will help in the budget. Proposing instead to cut programs and leave Canadians on the road. That is not how you build a strong economy is not how you create great jobs into the future. So we're going to continue to put support for Canadians at the center of everything we do in these difficult times despite the conservative leaders effort to harm Canadians. So he can attack this government.
And you talked about it briefly in French but given the increasing risks that we're seeing of wildfires is your government considering the creation of a national wildfire department with dedicated squadrons, more fire bombers to ensure that communities are better prepared and they can respond faster.
We have since 1982 had CFC in the Canadian interagency firefighting center that has over the past years, grown in importance and relevance. We continue to work with it. Right now. We're very much focused on getting through this difficult season in the immediate and supporting Canadians. But absolutely as we know that climate change is going to bring more and more extreme weather events into the future, more dangerous floods more difficult, devastating wildfires, more intense hurricanes and storms. We are going to need to continue to step up in our support for Canadians. This is why we move forward with a national adaptation strategy that puts billions of dollars on the table who work with municipalities and provinces to build back better to create more resilience and to Canadians from the impacts of climate change into the coming decades. At the same time as we remain unequivocal in our fight against climate change. Again, there are some politicians that still think you can have a plan for great jobs and growing the economy without having a plan to fight climate change. But Canadians know that fighting climate change is necessary both to create those great jobs and opportunity, but to also prevent the catastrophic and very expensive losses that Canadians are facing increasingly over the years.
It's easy to toggle on up
and told that all the time we have left
to end You know, I understand you're not in the finance department. But as they won't answer my questions. I'm hoping you can shed some light on how the government is able to justify using those reports when experts including the PBO have said multiple times that 100 year timeline is just not a realistic view.
Hi, I would have rather put this question to the Prime Minister, but seeing as he's gone, I'll ask you, Mr. Deveaux. The government keeps pointing to confidential reports from TD and BMO to banks that are involved in financing the trans mountain pipeline expansion to claim that the project is still commercially viable. They won't share these. And I learned that those secret reports are based on 100 year timeline assuming that the pipeline will be in operation for 100 years collecting revenues when the average lifetime is 40 years. I'm just wondering how the government and you know, I understand you're not in the finance department. But as they won't answer my questions. I'm hoping you can shed some light on how the government is able to justify using those reports when experts including the PBO have said multiple times that 100 year timeline is just not a realistic lifetime for a pipeline.
Thank you for the question. Unfortunately I don't have those information. But what what I can commit to doing is making sure that we get to some answers. I will work with my department and I will talk to my to my finance colleague, Minister Freeland to try and get you those answers as rapidly as possible.
Thank you very much. And as a follow up on the wildfires I am I've heard a lot from environmental groups about how one of the problems being faced with huge issues like this is trying to work across silos and government I know that there has been a lot of work done to coordinate efforts across departments but you know, as Environment Minister, are there any areas you see where E triple C or other departments could step across those silos even more and try to look to the future past the immediate response to you know, see what can be done to get ahead of this next year as we can assume it will get worse.
Thank you. I mean, I think no one here will deny that government or governments have a tendency to work in silos but but I think that we are making a lot of efforts to change that. I'll give you two concrete examples. The emissions reduction plan that the Prime Minister tabled last year was a concerted effort by many of the people on the stage and many other people aren't on this stage like Minister Wilkinson, and many others. And I know like we tend to use the example of government maybe too likely at times, but that's not one of those instances. Same thing for the national adaptation strategy Minister Blair, myself, Minister Wilkinson and a number of other departments have been involved in coordinating the development of both the federal action plan on adaptation, which was qualified by the Canadian Insurance Bureau as world leading just last December, and the following national adaptation strategy where we will pull in the work of provinces territories, indigenous nations, municipalities, companies to ensure that when it comes to adaptation, we are as a nation better prepared to face the impacts of climate change, which we're not now and I think none of us would would deny that so we we are trying more and more to certainly on the on the forest fires. There's a lot of coordination between many of our departments on our respective responsibilities to ensure that nothing falls through the through the cracks.
To our moderator, if I may just supplement just because the question has been on my mind a lot about working across silos and between levels of government as well. I've rarely seen anything like the response I've seen in the past few days. Huge credit to a number of people that you see here. Minister Blair in particular, your responsiveness has no doubt helped save lives of people who have my home province. To see people break down barriers across silos has been extraordinary. We've had within about a day, Transport Canada have aerials surveillance on the ground. The next day, comfort trailers were set up by the Coast Guard the following day, helicopters started arriving. There was a pre existing programs that are funded by a multitude of departments whether we're talking about CIS see the Enercon training the disaster for financial assistance arrangement. The prime minister called me personally to say that we will be there and whatever way we could since then we set up the Red Cross matching donation portal. Now we're getting Michelins, a ignition specialist who landed DND has an thank you to Mr. Medina. I need an on for getting planning coordination efforts. They're immediately deploying the Department of National Defense fire trucks to see that there's now coordination going between governments to help water bombers land and military bases in Nova Scotia PSPC has jumped in to offer contracting support the measures that Minister gold outlined around ei around other benefits offered through ESDC. Even my own department, trying to facilitate the issuance of travel documents. And there's no shortage of other examples. I could point to private helicopters being licensed to help respond in the emergency. Recognizing that a lot of people on the ground are volunteers and my own constituency. We are covered by over three dozen fire departments all but one are volunteers to see the response to this, my colleagues and credit to provincial officials. Minister for shoulder right from the airport mandala downtown today. He's in town for meetings later. There has not been a silo that's existed over the past week in my life and government. It is so deeply encouraging to see that when I make a phone call or send a text, within 90 seconds, I'm receiving substantive responses. This is a model for response and my view how it should work across departments. And I just want to say as a Nova Scotian, who spent some of the last few days talking to families within this place. I'm grateful to see leadership in particular in this regard, it gives me a lot of faith that we get the right people work.
