First Nations leaders are meeting until Thursday to discuss how they can better prepare for wildfires, floods and the effects of climate change, which disproportionately affect their often remote communities.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) emergency management summit in Gatineau is the first forum of this type organized in seven years. It follows a record season of wildfires that ravaged 100,000 square kilometers of land and led to the evacuation of dozens of First Nations communities.
The summit also comes four years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which put First Nations communities at increased risk of infection.
AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says community safety during disasters has never been a more pressing concern than today.
“Unpredictability has led to recurring emergency evacuations, forcing our citizens to seek help in reception facilities far from home,” said Ms.me Woodhouse Nepinak Wednesday.
“The effects of cultural dislocation are far-reaching,” she said, and they profoundly affect the health of First Nations people and the education of young people.
The AFN Chief emphasizes that while communities are resilient, they need equitable partnerships with other levels of government to mitigate risks, ensure rapid response to crises and protect land for future generations.
The regional chief of the AFN for the Northwest Territories, Gerald Antoine, recalls that many communities do not have access to emergency response services and are therefore at a disadvantage compared to their non-Aboriginal neighbors.
His region was hit hard by last summer’s fires, and Yellowknife was forced to evacuate, as were neighboring First Nations communities.
He said emergency management policies need to be standardized so communities know what procedures to follow. The First Nations must also be involved in all aspects of the intervention, according to Mr. Antoine.
Canada’s Auditor General found in 2023 that Canada was failing to provide First Nations with adequate resources for emergency management services, despite more intense crises.
The report reveals that Indigenous Services Canada has been more reactive than preventative, despite constant calls from First Nations to strengthen their capacities.
The Auditor General also found that Indigenous Services Canada did not know whether First Nations received emergency services comparable to those in neighboring communities.
The 2e The AFN National Forum on Emergency Management also welcomes academics and representatives from the federal, provincial and territorial governments to Gatineau.