Liberal MPs on the Commons environment committee have blocked a motion to summon former Environment Minister Catherine McKenna for questioning regarding forest management at Jasper National Park, where a devastating July fire left a third of the town in ruins. Blacklock's Reporter says opposition MPs sought McKenna’s testimony on long-standing fire risk warnings linked to dead trees left standing after a pine beetle infestation.Despite repeated committee requests, McKenna has declined to testify, prompting Conservative MP Gérard Deltell (Louis-St. Laurent, Que.) to voice frustrations: “McKenna has refused to testify regarding the Jasper wildfire investigation on numerous occasions. We would like to hear from the Minister … Out of respect, she should be able to appear and respond to the criticism.”The fire, which erupted on July 24, destroyed 358 buildings and ravaged over 32,000 hectares of forest. Records show that Parks Canada and the Department of Environment were repeatedly warned by residents and officials about fire hazards from dead pine trees. “Jasper was a tinder box,” said retired Conservative MP Jim Eglinski (Yellowhead, Alta.), who testified that he had frequently raised concerns about the unaddressed fire risks in Jasper.“We all saw the tinder box … we knew something was going to happen,” Eglinski told the committee, noting that locals were deeply worried about the possibility of a destructive fire. The former MP also emphasized that Parks Canada had been slow to act on preventive measures, despite repeated requests from local residents and himself.Parks Canada has not released details on the number of hectares of dead pine removed or controlled through prescribed burns, despite committee inquiries. “Do you believe the Liberal government was negligent in protecting Jasper?” Conservative MP Dan Mazier (Dauphin-Swan River, Man.) asked Eglinski. The former MP replied, “I believe Parks Canada could have done more.”Meanwhile, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.), parliamentary secretary for the environment, defended the government’s wildfire management policies and noted recent investments in wildfire response initiatives. However, he did not provide specific data on forest management at Jasper, arguing instead that the issue was being “overly politicized.”
Liberal MPs on the Commons environment committee have blocked a motion to summon former Environment Minister Catherine McKenna for questioning regarding forest management at Jasper National Park, where a devastating July fire left a third of the town in ruins. Blacklock's Reporter says opposition MPs sought McKenna’s testimony on long-standing fire risk warnings linked to dead trees left standing after a pine beetle infestation.Despite repeated committee requests, McKenna has declined to testify, prompting Conservative MP Gérard Deltell (Louis-St. Laurent, Que.) to voice frustrations: “McKenna has refused to testify regarding the Jasper wildfire investigation on numerous occasions. We would like to hear from the Minister … Out of respect, she should be able to appear and respond to the criticism.”The fire, which erupted on July 24, destroyed 358 buildings and ravaged over 32,000 hectares of forest. Records show that Parks Canada and the Department of Environment were repeatedly warned by residents and officials about fire hazards from dead pine trees. “Jasper was a tinder box,” said retired Conservative MP Jim Eglinski (Yellowhead, Alta.), who testified that he had frequently raised concerns about the unaddressed fire risks in Jasper.“We all saw the tinder box … we knew something was going to happen,” Eglinski told the committee, noting that locals were deeply worried about the possibility of a destructive fire. The former MP also emphasized that Parks Canada had been slow to act on preventive measures, despite repeated requests from local residents and himself.Parks Canada has not released details on the number of hectares of dead pine removed or controlled through prescribed burns, despite committee inquiries. “Do you believe the Liberal government was negligent in protecting Jasper?” Conservative MP Dan Mazier (Dauphin-Swan River, Man.) asked Eglinski. The former MP replied, “I believe Parks Canada could have done more.”Meanwhile, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.), parliamentary secretary for the environment, defended the government’s wildfire management policies and noted recent investments in wildfire response initiatives. However, he did not provide specific data on forest management at Jasper, arguing instead that the issue was being “overly politicized.”
