In a heated Commons debate, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.) rebuffed suggestions that political considerations may have influenced forest management decisions prior to a devastating wildfire in Jasper National Park. Blacklock's Reporter said Van Koeverden, parliamentary secretary for the environment, expressed “astonishment” at the notion, insisting the fire was due to climate change, not government decisions.“Our planet is literally burning up,” van Koeverden stated. “Climate change is the root cause.”His comments followed questions from Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew-Nipissing, Ont.), who alleged that Parks Canada’s plans for controlled burns had been blocked. “Parks Canada had wanted to do controlled burns in Jasper since 2022 yet were denied by this government,” Gallant said. “My question is, did the Liberals intentionally allow Jasper to burn to justify their carbon tax?”In response, van Koeverden condemned the question. “It is absolutely astonishing,” he said. “No federal government would fail to protect a national park. We have been doing the mechanical clearing. We have been doing the controlled burning.” He added, “Those Members opposite ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves, that they would insinuate any government would allow a park to burn. It’s that kind of rhetoric that leads to misinformation and disinformation.”Van Koeverden did not address internal Parks Canada communications released through Access to Information, which suggest park managers were cautious about the “political perception” of fire management in Jasper. In a February 21 email, one manager raised concerns about potential public and political reactions to prescribed burns in drought conditions. “At what point do we make the organizational decision to cancel planned prescribed burns?” the email read, noting that “political perception may become more important than actual prescription windows.”The fire risk in Jasper has been known for years, with the 2022 Jasper National Park Management Plan calling for “wildfire risk reduction measures” in the townsite. The park’s forest has been severely impacted by beetle infestations, leaving 44% of Jasper’s pine trees dead. Yet, a 2022 report indicated that controlled burns for Whitebark Pine restoration had not been implemented, and cutting dead trees was conducted only in “a small area.”The wildfire in July 2024 destroyed 358 buildings and left nearly half of Jasper’s residents homeless, according to official estimates. Parks Canada has not yet disclosed how many hectares of dead pine remained in the area before the fire.
In a heated Commons debate, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.) rebuffed suggestions that political considerations may have influenced forest management decisions prior to a devastating wildfire in Jasper National Park. Blacklock's Reporter said Van Koeverden, parliamentary secretary for the environment, expressed “astonishment” at the notion, insisting the fire was due to climate change, not government decisions.“Our planet is literally burning up,” van Koeverden stated. “Climate change is the root cause.”His comments followed questions from Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew-Nipissing, Ont.), who alleged that Parks Canada’s plans for controlled burns had been blocked. “Parks Canada had wanted to do controlled burns in Jasper since 2022 yet were denied by this government,” Gallant said. “My question is, did the Liberals intentionally allow Jasper to burn to justify their carbon tax?”In response, van Koeverden condemned the question. “It is absolutely astonishing,” he said. “No federal government would fail to protect a national park. We have been doing the mechanical clearing. We have been doing the controlled burning.” He added, “Those Members opposite ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves, that they would insinuate any government would allow a park to burn. It’s that kind of rhetoric that leads to misinformation and disinformation.”Van Koeverden did not address internal Parks Canada communications released through Access to Information, which suggest park managers were cautious about the “political perception” of fire management in Jasper. In a February 21 email, one manager raised concerns about potential public and political reactions to prescribed burns in drought conditions. “At what point do we make the organizational decision to cancel planned prescribed burns?” the email read, noting that “political perception may become more important than actual prescription windows.”The fire risk in Jasper has been known for years, with the 2022 Jasper National Park Management Plan calling for “wildfire risk reduction measures” in the townsite. The park’s forest has been severely impacted by beetle infestations, leaving 44% of Jasper’s pine trees dead. Yet, a 2022 report indicated that controlled burns for Whitebark Pine restoration had not been implemented, and cutting dead trees was conducted only in “a small area.”The wildfire in July 2024 destroyed 358 buildings and left nearly half of Jasper’s residents homeless, according to official estimates. Parks Canada has not yet disclosed how many hectares of dead pine remained in the area before the fire.
