OTTAWA- First Nations leaders are calling on both the provincial and federal governments to step in immediately to assist remote communities affected by devastating wildfires in northern Ontario. Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige stated that impacted residents urgently need clothing, food, and financial donations for their immediate, medium-, and long-term needs. Speaking about the Collins First Nation, which has been completely devastated, she noted that all infrastructure, equipment, and everything related to the community is gone, describing the intensity of the blazes as “surreal.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, who represents 49 First Nation communities in northern Ontario, strongly criticized both the federal and provincial governments for what he called a total lack of an adequate response. He revealed that one of their communities declared a state of emergency two days ago but has yet to see a single rescue aircraft. Fiddler is urgently requesting Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney to deploy the military to the region, including sending aircraft to evacuate residents safely. He called it unacceptable that another community had been forced to wait three days for an evacuation aircraft, emphasizing that the primary priority right now must be to prevent the loss of life.
Lawrence Wanakamik, Chief of the Whitesand First Nation, also expressed his deep disappointment, stating that Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) was extremely late in its response. He emphasized that the ministry should have acted sooner and made more firefighting resources available, adding that community members are becoming highly anxious and angry as they just want to return home safely. Furthermore, serious allegations have been raised by Meaghan Daniel, a lawyer representing the hardest-hit Collins First Nation community, who stated that the area failed to receive timely help because Ottawa does not officially recognize it as a First Nation.
In response to allegations from the Ontario NDP, Liberals, and Green Party that the province is underfunding the firefighting infrastructure, Premier Doug Ford dismissed the criticisms as false information. He maintained that this year’s budget is a 15-million-dollar increase over the amount budgeted in the last two years. Meanwhile, federal Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty stated that while the province has expressed its commitment to provide funding support, the federal government also has a critical role to play, and Indigenous Services Canada is currently working with the province to identify the immediate needs of the Collins First Nation to deliver relief.
