NAN Chief admits evacuation had learning curve, gives provincial response good grade

Stan Beardy gives Ontario good grades its handling of the recent evacuation of residents from fire-ravaged First Nations communities.

But the Nishnawbe Aski Nation grand chief said not everything occurred the way he might have liked, though he understands it was a learning experience for everyone involved.

“Our objective was to get people out as quickly as possible, out of the danger zone and into safety. That happened in a relatively short time,” Beardy said Friday, as city, Aboriginal and provincial officials met with Premier Dalton McGuinty in Thunder Bay to discuss what went right, what went wrong, and how improvements could be made.

“I think I would give Ontario a fairly high mark in terms of how quickly they were able to come to our rescue. But I think there’s still room for improvement to make sure that there is a higher level of co-ordination of all the agencies, organizations and governments as well to make sure it could be done even better.”

Beardy, who earlier in the week called for the province to enact a state of emergency, with thousands in need of evacuation from as many as 19 First Nations communities, also expressed concern that officials might be standing down a little too soon.

Emergency personnel on Friday began their retreat from the evacuation centre that took over Confederation College’s Aviation Centre of Excellence, with no more transports expected.

This could change in a heartbeat, Beardy said.

“My observation from the fiery conditions is it’s not over yet. This is a break because we had some rain in the Far North. What I’m hoping for is something that will trigger an eventual strategy with massive undertakings like the evacuation of 10 people at the same time and mobilizing 5,000 people. That’s what I’m looking for.

“If that’s what a state of emergency does, then I guess that’s what I’m looking for,” he said.

McGuinty, who cut short his time at a premier’s meeting in Vancouver to see first-hand the damage done by some of the more than 110 fires still burning in Northern Ontario, reiterated why a state of emergency wasn’t necessary.

“We consider this to be an emergency, and the question I always ask is are we doing everything that we can and should be doing to ensure that we’re protecting lives and property and people who have been displaced and doing everything we can to put those fires out,” McGuinty said.

“Or do we need to invoke some sort of special legislative powers.

“And I’m convinced that we don’t need to do that.”

McGuinty added the legislation would provide the premier’s office with “extraordinary” powers to appropriate municipal facilities or airplanes as necessary.

“(But) the fact of the matter is people have risen to the occasion. There’s been such a tremendous response, so much good will, so much volunteerism in combination with firefighters that we received across the country, that we are doing very well treating this as a full-blown emergency and throwing everything at it that we need to throw at it.”

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Services chief John Hay said the break afforded by the weather will give staff and volunteers a little time to recuperate.

It hasn’t been easy going, with little time for rest, Hay said.

“Yesterday we had over 30 flights in and out. That would make us a busy airport in the province of Ontario by itself,” Hay said, thanking everyone who lent a hand.

“I’m a little bit tired and I know everyone else is a little bit tired … and we still need to break down and get our stuff away from the airport before anything else happens.”