Emergency Response - the Alert Ready Warning System and Preparedness for Wildfires in Manitoba

Tuesday May 8, I spoke in the Legislature on the Alert Ready warning system and preparedness for wildfires in our province.

Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, I'm happy to rise today to commend the Government of Canada for implementing this incredibly important initiative using mobile wireless to keep Canadians safe.

The tests scheduled for Wednesday are being 'connucted'–conducted after the Canadian Radio‑Television and Telecommunications Commission, CRTC, ordered wireless providers to implement the system to distribute warnings of imminent safety threats, including tornadoes, floods, AMBER Alerts, terrorist threats, et cetera.

Government has an important role in dealing with emergencies and erratic weather, particularly with climate change. While Manitoba has often been prepared for floods, we're not as prepared for drought, which we're seeing now. Just yesterday, a number of homes burned down in Little Saskatchewan First Nation due to forest fires. Our caucus has been asking this government now for two years to develop community safety plans for all Manitoba communities.

Tremendous amount of blood, sweat and tears was put into getting new homes for those in Little Saskatchewan who had to be evacuated for so many years. This is a sad moment, and, sadly, it affects somebody who I know very well.

And so let us get to work, I ask the government, and make sure that every community has a much better safety plan to protect from grass and forest fires and other fires near their community.

Thank you.

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