Communication with First Nations during Lytton fire 'didn't live up to expectations': B.C.'s safety minister
British Columbia’s public safety minister has acknowledged the province failed to communicate with First Nation’s communities in a timely fashion as a deadly fire devoured Lytton.
Chief Matt Pasco of the Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council said nobody from the province contacted leadership in his community until hours after the fire began Wednesday.
When officials did finally get in touch with him, it was to check on the health of his cattle.
“My cattle mean more to this province than Nlaka'pamux people,” Pasco said. “Nobody stepped forward for significant hours while this was going on.”
More than 800 NNTC members have been displaced by the fire — forced to find shelter in communities spread from the lower mainland to Kamloops.
“My staff said we need to do this. Let’s figure it out. So we started setting up our own evacuation centres,” said NNTC’s Gary Abbott.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told The Canadian Press steps were taken to address shortcomings that contributed to the breakdown in communication.
“While there were challenging factors, early communication with Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council and the Oregon Jack Creek Band didn’t live up to expectations,” Farnworth said in a statement.
Many NNTC evacuees initially went to Kamloops, but when flames flared up there just one day after fire destroyed Lytton, they were forced to flee again.
About 30 people found refuge with Sts’ailes Nation, at a retreat centre on the banks of the Chehalis River.
“Some of them were just so tired, dismantled. Mentally, spiritually. We’re here just to provide a place for them to sleep and rest,” said Chief Ralph Leon.
The property can accommodate up to 150 people, and will welcome more evacuees if other Indigenous communities are faced with disasters this summer.
“Sts’ailes is willing to support as long as needed. We got direction from our chief and council to support the people the best way we can,” said Janice George, health director with the Sts’ailes Nation.
That support includes three hot meals a day, clothing, toiletries, even games and toys for kids and a roof for families that may not have one of their own to return to.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.