‘The government has idly sat by’: NDP MPs say Indigenous communities need federal support as wildfires devastate Western Canada

New Democrats say Ottawa's wildfire response fails to ‘uphold the dignity and well-being of First Nations,’ which they say are under federal jurisdiction.

Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski urged MPs not to let wildfires ‘become partisan flashpoints,’ saying that she is ‘working closely’ with provinces to manage the federal government’s response. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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BY ELEANOR WAND

June 4, 2025

New Democrat MPs are calling for more aid for Indigenous communities as wildfires continue to ravage the Western provinces, leaving some people stranded and under evacuation orders, struggling to escape the flames.

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