QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Indigenous Services
Emergency Response Support
May 7, 2026
I extend a warm welcome to you, minister. As you know, this week is Emergency Preparedness Week. Yet yesterday, more than 600 members of the Red Earth Cree Nation in Saskatchewan were displaced due to increased risks of flooding. This week, the Auditor General also released a report warning that federal efforts to map parts of the country facing the highest risk of flooding are not on track to finish by the 2028 target date. Given this increasing risk that impacts many First Nations across the country, what is your department doing to ensure First Nations communities have emergency preparedness plans to deal with flood risks, and in the short term, how are you supporting the Red Earth Cree Nation and other First Nations communities dealing with flooding at this time?
Thank you. This is probably one of the most challenging parts at Indigenous Services Canada because it’s not only the Red Earth Cree Nation in the process of facing severe floods. We had a lot of work to do with the Peguis First Nation who almost endured a flood, as well as the community of Kashechewan who has been in a state of flooding and evacuation for a number of weeks. I really want to call attention to the support we’re giving those communities. On emergency management, my colleague and I had a very intense learning experience last year, as we saw the increase in forest fires throughout the country. It really helped us this year to work together and collaborate and determine: What is that next step forward? One of the things that was very clear in that process is ensuring that in the jurisdiction of the federal-provincial space, we have that Indigenous voice and that First Nations community there.
I do want to call attention to one of the historic successes this week that was in Prince Edward Island, where I had the opportunity to sign the first-ever trilateral agreement that has inclusivity of the Indigenous representation at the table. I’m very proud of that work. I’m proud of that community that they were able to do that. I encourage other premiers and provinces to look to this model. It is one that I hope we replicate. It is one that ensures that, in a time of urgency, you are providing a culturally appropriate and safe response.
It also allows for planning. It is cost-effective. We know that every dollar that we spend in prevention, you gain $7 to $10 of impact.
Thank you, minister.
That’s very good to hear. Thank you for that.
You mentioned wildfires. According to the International Journal of Wildland Fire, over the last four decades, 42% of wildfire evacuations across Canada have been from Indigenous communities.
Given the significant disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities and with wildfire season already here, what is the department’s plan to help mitigate wildfires and engage First Nations communities themselves in emergency preparedness planning to protect themselves from wildfires?
This past year, we saw over 50,000 individuals being evacuated. That means that we do need to have a collaborative, coordinated response.
The work that we do at ISC is to ensure that we’re supporting communities with things like FireSmart and ensure we’re going to get those prevention dollars to give them the tools they need to be able to respond. But the greatest impact in that space is having collaboration between the federal and provincial governments to ensure that we are working together and reflecting the reality of Indigenous communities who are, almost 100% of the time, on the front line when emergency situations are occurring.
Like I said, I welcome my colleagues at other levels to work with us. I’m very supportive in this space. This trilateral agreement —
Thank you, minister.
