The devastating wildfires scorching Ontario are an emergency.
And the First Nations leaders in Nishnawbe Aski Nation have been calling on Doug Ford to recognise that fact. They are still waiting, as we all are.
Instead, we got a partial emergency. This allows the province to impose travel restrictions, as well as other measures, within a specific area.
Let’s be clear:
- The forests are blazing out of control. Over 100 forest fires were recorded by Sunday evening, including at least two gigantic fires over 100,000 hectares in size (each roughly double the size of Toronto).
- Indigenous communities are being forced to evacuate to protect vulnerable members and their very lives.
- The air quality right across the province has taken a nosedive following the smoke. This is deeply unfair to the most vulnerable amongst us and is deeply alarming, as we are fighting to survive a pandemic caused by a virus that attacks our respiratory systems.
This is not a partial emergency!
Call it what you like — a climate emergency, a colonial emergency or a health emergency (hint, it’s all three). But we insist it must be called an emergency now
Click here to tell @FordNation to get his head out of the sand and listen to the First Nations in @NAN showing what leadership in an emergency looks like:
One of Canada’s natural treasures could disappear in 5 to 10 years if we don’t act now. Tell B.C.’s Premier John Horgan to keep his promises and protect old-growth forests immediately.