On July 23, 2026, NDP Critic for Indigenous Affairs and for the Environment Leah Gazan Issued the Following Statement:
The outbreak of the fires in Northern Ontario last week is a visceral reminder of the immediate Canada-wide threat posed by the climate emergency, as another devastating wildfire season is ravaging dozens of communities, especially First Nations communities.
The outbreak of the fires in Northern Ontario last week is a visceral reminder of the immediate Canada-wide threat posed by the climate emergency, as another devastating wildfire season is ravaging dozens of communities, especially First Nations communities.
On July 13th, members of the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation were forced to evacuate entirely by boat without the support of public authorities, shortly after which their entire community burnt down. Less than a week later, this tragedy was repeated when Whitewater Lake First Nation was completely destroyed by wildfires. In total, approximately 1,800 people have been displaced, while more evacuations are expected in the coming weeks.
Homes have been lost. Families have been displaced. Vital infrastructure has been destroyed. Lives are being put at risk.
While Prime Minister Carney has said the climate emergency is "too costly" to respond to, it is Indigenous peoples who are first and foremost experiencing the true costs of this escalating crisis. Summer after summer, Indigenous peoples are abandoned on the frontlines of the climate emergency without sufficient protection or support from public authorities. As Namaygoosisagagun Chief Helen Paavola said last week, "We had no help, they had no help. They had to [evacuate] on their own, and they did."
When asked about the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, the Minister of Emergency Management Eleanor Olszewski shamefully responded that "I don't believe that anything did go wrong in the situation regarding the wildfires in Ontario." Apparently, the Liberal government’s plan included leaving First Nations to fend for themselves against staggering wildfires without evacuation support.
When a community's safety is jeopardized due to a lack of resources, it is inexcusable for the government to respond by saying "nothing went wrong." And yet, with the Liberal government, this denial of responsibility is a pattern of neglect of Indigenous peoples' rights and safety.
While the Liberals continue to neglect Indigenous rights and the realities of the climate crisis, under the guise that it is "too expensive." All while Carney is able to procure unlimited dollars to invest in Canada, becoming a military state and a small arms dealer.
Indigenous peoples deserve better. Folks across Canada deserve better. It is the duty of the Government of Canada to protect our health, safety and integrity, and this carelessness about the severe and growing risks posed by wildfires is simply unacceptable.
I stand behind First Nations Chiefs calling for a coordinated all-of-government response to wildfires with the urgency and determination that this crisis demands. The Liberal government must put in place a real safety plan to uphold the rights of all those impacted by the escalating climate emergency and be held to account for the absence of support First Nations received.
Beyond an immediate response, going forward, we need to build institutions and infrastructure to avert wildfire risks before they endanger communities’ safety. The Liberal government has made cuts across the board to public programs and services to fulfill Trump’s demands to boost military spending. But right now, increasingly frequent and extreme wildfire seasons pose an urgent threat to our public safety, our essential infrastructure, and our national security. This is not the first time wildfires have threatened health and safety, and it will not be the last. The NDP has long been calling on the government to put in place permanent and sustainable responses to ensure that everyone's safety and dignity are upheld when extreme weather events take place.
Canada desperately needs a permanent emergency response system in place that is created with the consultation of Indigenous peoples, and that upholds Free, Prior and Informed Consent. We urgently need a permanent response that is regionally based, led by and specific to each nation. The government must also commit to preventing future climate emergencies through the creation of a national wildfire fighting force and the establishment of a climate corps to help respond to extreme weather events and promote climate resiliency.
The government cannot expect the climate emergency to simply disappear as they turn a blind eye to its consequences. As we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Indigenous peoples, it is absolutely critical that they protect the safety of everyone across Canada from the extreme weather events that are becoming all too common. Nobody should be left behind in a climate emergency.
On July 20, 2026, NDP Critic for Indigenous Affairs Leah Gazan Issued the Following Statement:
On July 16, 2026, NDP Critic for Indigenous Affairs and for the Environment Leah Gazan Issued the Following Statement:
As folks across Canada witness the highly disturbing images of wildfires in Northwestern Ontario, I echo the words of consolation offered by First Nations Chiefs to the Nations and communities impacted, along with their calls for urgent government action to ensure this crisis is resolved and the safety of evacuees is upheld.
On July 11th, 2026, MP Leah Gazan, NDP Critic for Persons with Disabilities made the following statement: