Conservative MP says federal inaction on wildfires led to Atlantic Canada forest bans

OTTAWA — An Alberta Conservative MP is blaming the Liberal government for a pair of contentious provincial bans on outdoor activities, saying federal officials didn’t do enough to stave off tinder dry conditions in Atlantic Canada.

Michelle Rempel Garner told reporters in Ottawa that years of Liberal inaction on wildfire preparedness forced Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to take the drastic action of closing off wooded areas to the public.

“Four full wildfire seasons ago, the Liberals promised more water bombers, more firefighters. Where are they?” said Rempel Garner, referring to a 2021 Liberal campaign promise to dedicate $500 million to community firefighting.

“(W)henever there’s a major crisis, what the Liberal government has done by their inaction has conditioned Canadians to expect that the only response they can see … is to restrict their movement,” she continued.

Rempel Garner wouldn’t say whether she objected to the provincial bans themselves.

She also criticized the Liberals for stalling a Conservative private member’s bill proposing tougher criminal penalties for arsonists who start wildfires.

Rempel Garner made the comments at an unrelated announcement on proposed criminal code reforms for non-citizen offenders .

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston waved off Rempel Garner’s wildfire comments when giving a situation update to members of the media in Halifax.

“I guess I find it remarkable the interest in travelling in Nova Scotia woods by people who aren’t in Nova Scotia and probably haven’t been here much in their life,” said Houston.

Houston added that he wasn’t paying attention to the chatter about his wildfire restrictions coming from outside the province.

“I don’t really have time for any type of conspiracy theories … My top priority is just keeping Nova Scotians safe,” Houston said.

With Nova Scotia in the midst of a two-month drought, Houston announced last week a 12-week ban on entering the woods, carrying a $25,000 fine.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt followed suit over the weekend with her own blanket ban on residents entering public lands. As of press time Wednesday, she had not set a monetary penalty for violating the ban.

The sweeping provincial forest bans have divided conservatives along both regional and ideological lines, with some critics drawing comparisons to COVID restrictions.

Ontario Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis, for example, speculated on social media that the bans could spiral into broader ecological lockdowns.

“While the government says this is to prevent forest fires, the approach has left many feeling discouraged, disconnected, and wondering if there’s a bigger purpose at play,” tweeted Lewis.

Other Conservatives, such as ex-national campaign manager Fred DeLorey, have defended the measures.

DeLorey, who is from Nova Scotia, wrote in a recent Substack post that the province’s forest ban was the product of “hard-earned wisdom” among locals.

“Here’s the problem: Nova Scotia is built differently than the rest of the country … Most Nova Scotians don’t live near the woods. We live in them,” wrote DeLorey.

“When conditions are this dry, even low-risk activity becomes high-stakes.”

Former Conservative deputy leader Lisa Raitt, who is also from Nova Scotia, has also voiced support for Houston’s actions .

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said whether he supports the provincial restrictions.

A spokesperson for Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski rejected Rempel Garner’s characterization of the Liberal government’s record on wildfire preparedness.

“Over the past number of years, there have been hundreds of millions of dollars invested federally in wildfire capabilities and research alongside major investments by provinces and territories as the threat from wildfires has exponentially grown,” wrote the spokesperson in an email.

The spokesperson added that the minister would “not be playing politics” with the provincial bans.

National Post
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