FedNor Minister makes special trip to Dryden

News — 27 July 2011

Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall, FedNor Minister, Tony Clement and MP Greg Rickford pose with airport staff in front of the borrowed water bombers from Newfoundland.

President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor), Tony Clement was the first to visit the northwest part of the province to familiarize himself with the state of emergency due to the wildfires.

Along with Kenora-Rainy River District MP, Greg Rickford, Clement arrived at the Dryden Airport on July 20, to speak with MNR personnel and get an idea of the state of affairs in the north.

“The Federal Government has been part of the solution here obviously, with the Canadian Forces Hercules being made available for evacuations, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs being very helpful for aboriginal communities, so we really need all hands on deck,” said Clement.

The Minister was able to tour the MNR Fire Headquarters and speak to some of the personnel involved in fighting the out-of-control wildfires.

“We are deploying assets from the Department of National Defence and from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and that will continue. In terms of emergency assistance relief, the way the process works, is first of all, the province has to ask and we’re waiting on that,” said Clement. “I think I can speak for both Greg Rickford and I that we’re hoping the province will get moving on that sooner rather than later.”

Clement says if the province does ask for help, there is a process that needs to be followed, but he’s confident the Federal Government will do the right thing.

Rickford commended all stakeholders involved on their commitment to ensuring the highest level of assistance, including the Federal Government, the Red Cross and the MNR Fire Command Centre.

“I think the good news is that so far, and I’ve spoken to evacuees themselves, I’ve been over at the command centre, we’ve had conversations with Municipal leaderships. I think the statement that needs to be made is that everybody is pleased with the way the process has gone,” said Rickford. “This is a massive fire, and the MNR is prepared to declare this as perhaps the largest fire ever in northern Ontario in terms of the amount of wildfires on the go.”

Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall was in attendance for the visit from Clement, and commented that he was very happy the Minister was able to come to Dryden and that the Federal Government has “stepped up to the plate.”

“My big disappointment is that we haven’t seen our local member (MPP Howard Hampton) up here at all. Hopefully this is a wakeup call that he can come and see us. Mr. Hampton has not been here, and no one from the Provincial government has been here so it’s nice that the Federal government has stepped up,” said Nuttall. “The City is doing everything we possibly can. We’re happy with the emergency people, they’re doing an excellent job.”

By Ally Dunham

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