Senator Simons: I have a follow-up question. There are national parks in Alberta that are particularly vulnerable to the potential of wildfire — Banff, Jasper and Wood Buffalo. I would be pleased if, at a future date and maybe by way of a written answer, you could provide to us what the federal government’s plans are for fire mitigation and suppression in our national parks in Western Canada.

Hon. Paula Simons: I have a question for the Government Representative. As of this afternoon, there were 91 active wildfires in Alberta, including 15 wildfires of note, which were so deemed by the province because they pose a threat to public safety, communities or critical infrastructure.

First, I want to thank the government and the people of Canada for providing military support to Alberta in this time of emergency, and I want to say that I, for one, am proud that we live in a united confederation where Canadians support one another when there is a regional crisis.

But Government Representative, in 2005, the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy predicted many of the drought conditions and types of fires we’re seeing now. Edmonton journalist and author Ed Struzik, who is one of Canada’s leading writers on wildfire, has called that strategy “dead in the water,” which he blames in part on a lack of funding and a lack of buy-in from premiers and provinces.

Can you tell us, in the face of the mounting economic, environmental and human costs, is it time to renew the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy and put it into action?