Feds strike special cabinet committee to co-ordinate Fort McMurray assistance
Posted May 11, 2016 12:16 pm.
Last Updated May 11, 2016 12:17 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The federal Liberals have struck a cabinet committee involving nine different ministries to handle the aftermath of the Fort McMurray wildfire.
Kent Hehr, the Calgary MP who serves as Veterans Affairs minister and associate minister of defence, will chair the committee, which includes ministers responsible for public safety, health, natural resources, infrastructure, labour and employment insurance, among others.
The Red Cross announced today that it would begin distributing $50-million in donations directly to evacuees from the oilands hub in northern Alberta as emergency funding.
But the longer term reconstruction of the city will require deeper pockets and multiple levels of government.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to visit Fort McMurray on Friday and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she’s already planning to urge the federal government to extend enhanced employment insurance benefits to Edmonton as a result of the wildfire fall-out.
Edmonton-area MP Rona Ambrose, the interim Conservative leader, offered rare praise for the government’s cabinet committee move, calling it a very smart way to speed up decision-making.
