Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the unprecedented devastation in the Northwest Territories — the 292 wildfires that have ravaged our communities and land this year. To put the scale of this disaster into perspective, these wildfires have released 97 megatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere this year, 277 times more than the emissions caused by human activities in the territory in 2021.

The driving force behind these wildfires has been the extraordinary combination of long-lasting dry and scorching temperatures — a clear and unmistakable indication of the effects of climate change. The wildfires resulted in the evacuations of eight communities: Hay River, K’átł’odeeche First Nation, Behchoko, Sambaa K’e, Fort Smith, Jean Marie River, Kakisa and Enterprise.

On August 16, the evacuation notice was extended to encompass the capital city of Yellowknife, as well as N’dilo, Ingraham Trail and Dettah, resulting in the displacement of an additional 22,000 residents. There is only one road in and out of Yellowknife.

The wildfires quickly heightened the disparities in infrastructure and services in the North. The pleas and requests to the federal government for infrastructure in the North are not new. Premier Caroline Cochrane stated:

Whose fault is it, when we can’t get people out, because we don’t have basic infrastructure that every Canadian takes for granted?

Today, the Northwest Territories wildfires have burned more than 3.5 million hectares. Homes and building losses include more than a dozen K’átł’odeeche First Nation buildings and the band office; 19 structures in Behchoko or along Highway 3 to the east of the community; cabins outside Tulita; cabins near Duncan Lake; approximately 90% of the homes and buildings in Enterprise; properties in Paradise Gardens and the Patterson Road area south of Hay River; two cabins and a travel trailer on Hay River’s western periphery; and a home in Sambaa K’e burned in an ignition operation gone wrong.

Regretfully, under Bill C-18’s provisions, news sharing among social media became an uphill battle as Facebook and Instagram blocked Canadian news — both heavily relied on sources by the Northwest Territories and the territories. In an age when there is reliance on social media and its platforms, it is absolutely vital that the ability for us in the North to share news during an emergency is permissible and endorsed by our government.

Thank you to citizens and heroes who came to our aid during this crisis including local, national and international. I offer my deepest and sincere condolences to the family of 25-year-old Adam Yeadon, a member of the Acho Dene Koe band and firefighter, who tragically lost his life in Fort Liard. He is a true hero.

Honourable colleagues, as we move forward in the Senate, I urge you all to ensure that the legislation and debates we have in this place continue to factor in the realities we face in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon and help to address the inequity and inequality we live in. Quyanainni. Mahsi’cho. Thank you.