Ottawa to fund emergency management co-ordinators in 8 Mi'kmaw communities

The federal government announced on Wednesday it will invest $2.4 million over five years to fund emergency management co-ordinators for eight Mi'kmaw communities: Wasoqopa'q, Annapolis Valley, Bear River, Glooscap, Millbrook, Paqtnkek, Pictou Landing and Sipekne'katik

The aim is to help communities devise action plans in the event of natural disasters.

Jenica Atwin, parliamentary secretary to the minister of Indigenous services, said with fires and floods becoming increasingly common due to climate change, the emergency management co-ordinators will have "enhanced capacity at the First Nation level" to work with Indigenous Services Canada and the province. 

"This will support First Nations to have equal access to provincial Emergency Management services and equal capacity to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies," she said. 

Wyatt White, associate executive director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq, Nova Scotia Sen. Paul Prosper and the chiefs of the eight First Nations were also on hand for the announcement. 

Provincial officials were not invited to the event. 

Is it enough? 

Some community members and families have been questioning emergency preparedness in the province after a flash flood in July led to the death of a 13-year-old boy in Wolfville.

Last year, another family suffered the loss of four members in a flash flood in Windsor. The mother of one of the victims, Tera Sisco, later said she was frustrated with the province's slow-moving reform on disaster preparations. 

Atwin said while she recognized natural disasters affect everyone, Indigenous peoples have been historically more vulnerable due to government neglect. 

Chief Michelle Glasgow of Sipekne'katik First Nation said the current funding is not enough to combat natural disasters, as First Nations communities still need more than one person to create an effective emergency response plan.

"In order to have a really successful emergency management in community, we need a team," she said. "What is going to be done in the future to help our communities provide this team?"

Better infrastructure is also required, Glasgow said.

Tropical storms coming 

Wednesday's announcement comes as tropical storm Ernesto churns northward toward Atlantic Canada. 

According to Environment Canada, there are between 17 and 24 named storms expected for the current Atlantic season. Ernesto is the fifth tropical storm of the season.

As storms batter the province, Glasgow emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts and said the funding is "a start."