Jasper is the latest in a growing number of towns, cities and First Nations communities in Canada that have been destroyed by wildfires in recent years
Ottawa, ON – 80 groups representing Canada’s environmental community, along with Indigenous leaders, faith, justice and peace organizations, doctors and teachers, saddened by the devastation and losses experienced by the people of Jasper, are calling out political foot dragging and obfuscation in an open letter to all Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial leaders. They are demanding urgent measures to combat the climate emergency and prevent further catastrophic climate induced extreme weather events.
The letter was sent in the aftermath of the Jasper Wildfire Complex, which destroyed approximately 30 percent of the community as well as parts of Jasper National Park, and as communities across North America experience an uptick in fossil-fueled climate disasters like fires, smoke, floods, and deadly heat.
“There is nothing natural about this summer's droughts or extreme heat. To protect our communities and ecosystems, Canadian politicians – both federal and provincial – must put politics aside and work together to address these unnatural disasters at their root cause by regulating oil and gas pollution,” said Caroline Brouillette, Executive Director of Climate Action Network - Réseau action climat Canada.
The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal party leaders, and all provincial and territorial premiers, emphasizes the immediate need to regulate oil and gas emissions, without further delay, alongside the financial institutions supporting these industries.
Since 2011 other towns, cities and First Nation communities have been devastated by wildfires:
- 2023 - Enterprise, NWT
- 2023 - Ktunaxa Nation community of aq'am, BC
- 2023 - Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw, Little Shuswap Lake, BC
- 2023 - Upper Tantallon, NS
- 2023 - Barrington, NS
- 2023 - Mistissini, QC
- 2023 - Senneterre, QC
- 2023 - Fort Chipewyan, AB
- 2021 - Lytton, BC
- 2017 - Tahltan First Nation
- 2016 - Fort McMurray, AB
- 2015 - La Ronge, SK
- 2011 - Slave Lake, AB
“Governments in Canada must put the health of people in Canada and our communities above fossil fuel profits – before another town or city burns or floods due to the impacts of climate change,” the letter adds.
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Note to editors: Spokespeople are available who have signed on to the letter including Climate Action Network - Réseau action climat Canada, Stand.Earth, Ecojustice, Greenpeace Canada, Environmental Defence, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Sierra Club of Canada, Indigenous Climate Action, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and more.
For more information:
Kari Vierimaa
KAPOW Communications
kari@kapowcomms.com
416.578.0488