Exploring Theme: "Emergency Management in First Nations"

MP Laurel Collins in the hallway at the House of Commons in Ottawa. File photo by Natasha Bulowski/Canada’s National Observer Canada’s National Observer: A federal committee will grill cabinet ministers over Transport Canada’s failure to inform Indigenous communities about water and soil contamination at a dock in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. The federal Standing Committee on Environment...

Wildfire south of Gods Lake that forced thousands to flee 5 First Nations still out of control  CBC Indigenous: Vulnerable residents who were evacuated from three First Nations communities in northern Manitoba are returning home, weeks after heavy smoke billowing from an out-of-control wildfire forced them out.  The Canadian Red Cross said it is assisting...

Safe operations and cancer risks among topics discussed during three-day session. CBC Indigenous: Dozens of Indigenous firefighters from across the province were in Oneida Nation of the Thames this past week working to upgrade skills aimed at serving communities that are often rural and under serviced. The three-day annual Ontario Native Firefighter’s Society Conference brought people...

By Matteo Cimellaro | News, Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa | Andrea Stelter stands for a portrait near the Skwlāx band office. Catastrophic wildfires hit the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw First Nation in August 2023. Photo by Jen Osborne / Canada’s National Observer Listen to article Canada’s National Observer: Last year in the hot spot of Alberta, 25,000 people were displaced from...

NatIonTalk: (Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, Ontario) – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief, Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, is marking Emergency Preparedness Week by calling for urgent enhanced capacity support for First Nations. “First Nations are critical to the success of Canada’s emergency management system and must have access to equitable funding on par with similar-sized...

Government boosts wildfire funding as climate risks rise APTN News: Officials with a number of federal departments say 2024 will likely be a busy wildfire season because of the climate crisis, and Indigenous communities in particular are at risk. On Wednesday, a technical briefing was held on the upcoming season ahead of a news conference...

Kukpi7 James Tomma, and his wife Jay, have been staying in this hotel room for the past few weeks because their house burned in the Shuswap fires during August 2023. Photo by Jen Osborne / Canada’s National Observer  THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE TAKES MANY HANDS, AND ALL OF US ARE BETTER EQUIPPED WHEN WE’RE...

Inside Skwlāx’s north subdivision: This is one of two houses left standing after fires obliterated the area. Catastrophic wildfires hit Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw in August. Photo by Jen Osborne/CNO Listen to article Canada’s National Observer: Ottawa continues to underinvest in disaster preparedness and mitigation on First Nations despite ballooning recovery costs from the worst wildfire season...

“Uncle” Wilfred Tomma sits on his bed in the hotel room he was displaced to after wildfires hit his home area, Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw. Photo by Jen Osborne / Canada’s National Observer Listen to article Canada’s National Observer: Wilfred Tomma is no stranger to fire. Now in his 80s, Uncle Wilfred, as he’s known to many...

Inside Skwlāx’s north subdivision: This is one of two houses left standing after fires obliterated the area. Catastrophic wildfires hit Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw in August. Photo by Jen Osborne/CNO  Canada’s National Observer: After Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, Ottawa’s mini-budget was scant on fresh investments to prepare and protect Indigenous communities for a new...

Andrea Stelter stands for a portrait near the Skwlāx band office. Catastrophic wildfires hit the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw First Nation in August 2023. Photo by Jen Osborne / Canada’s National Observer Listen to article Canada’s National Observer: A year before First Nations experienced their worst wildfire season, Ottawa’s auditor general was calling on the federal government...

First article from the Special Report: Nations on the front lines of fire A portrait of Debbie Rupke (Tomma), who was evacuated alongside other Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw community members in August. Photo by Jen Osborne / Canada’s National Observer Listen to article Canada’s National Observer – Debbie Rupke (Tomma) heard a rattle at her door. It was...

NationTalk: Ottawa, ON – The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Interim National Chief Joanna Bernard is urgently calling for increased support in response to wildfires in British Columbia (B.C.) and the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.), for the affected First Nations individuals and communities, including in the city of Yellowknife, nearby communities of Ndilo, Dettah, and the...

NationTalk: Auditor-General released Report 8 on Nov. 15, 2022 May 8.1 Emergencies such as floods, wildfires, landslides, and severe weather events are happening more often and with greater intensity throughout Canada. These emergencies disproportionately affect First Nations communities—groups of First Nations people living on reservesDefinition 1—because of their relative remoteness and socio-economic circumstances. In addition, many First Nations communities were...