Trudeau offers full federal assistance to fire-stricken Fort McMurray

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This article was published 04/05/2016 (3776 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide all possible assistance to Alberta as wildfires ravage Fort McMurray.

That help ranges from satellite intelligence to help track to the fire to long-term financial help aimed at recovery.

Canada is a country of people who help each other in challenging times, Trudeau told his caucus Wednesday.

“I’ve been dealing with offers of support and calls from the Atlantic provinces, all the way out to B.C., as people are looking for how they can support their friends and neighbours as people go through this difficult time.”

Trudeau urged people with friends or family in Fort McMurray to make sure they are OK and ask what help they need.

Federal leaders called on Canadians who want to help to donate to the Red Cross.

The prime minister said he has already spoken to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley to offer his government’s “total support.”

Notley, who formally requested federal help, said a memorandum of understanding had been signed with National Defence to provide helicopters for search-and-rescue efforts in isolated spots around Fort McMurray as well as transport aircraft to fly in firefighters.

“Our province is strong and we will get through this,” she told a news conference.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale stressed that helping Fort McMurray would be a long-term project. “We’re dealing with people’s emergency needs today but the recovery from this situation is going to take a considerable amount of time.”

Among the other federal assistance he outlined:

— Co-ordination and monitoring through the Government Operations Centre;

— Satellite and geomatics support to help the province track where the fire is moving;

— Determining what firefighting assets are available across the country;— Stockpiling living supplies, cots and bedding in collaboration with the Red Cross;

— Efforts to restore communication systems following the destruction of cell-phone towers;— Disaster financial assistance arrangements, through which the government begins to cost-share the expense of recovery.

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, an Edmonton MP, called the disaster heartbreaking.

“I know people who have fled the situation. Two of my friends arrived home safely in Edmonton. It took them nine hours to get there, but they’re home — home safe. It’s very devastating.”

Opposition leader Rona Ambrose, who also hails from Alberta, called on residents to open their homes to evacuees.

“There’s 80,000 people without a home to go back to at this point and need to be safely moved out of the region. It’s a huge concern.”

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