Move Flood Prone Reserves

Many of Canada’s aboriginal reserves are isolated communities extremely far away from what most other Canadians may take for granted. The people living in those communities have been there for generations. Self-sufficient many decades ago, it remains an ongoing challenge for many of them to survive and develop without the financial assistance of others, primarily the federal government. Some reserves are situated in flood prone areas and can often require the emergency evacuation of residents. Understandably, this ongoing exercise of transporting residents out, providing interim food and shelter, repairing the structures damaged by the flood and then returning the residents is a cost that will continue on an annual basis. Why is this ongoing costly and avoidable situation acceptable to Canadians?

While I can understand the interest of certain people to live where they may have established roots, perhaps of historical or individual significance, if there are issues with regard to the longer-term practicability of these locations then they should be addressed. Unfortunately and based on political considerations, the resolution of the various problems associated with life in isolated or remote communities has not been approached with a firm resolve to change. As such, Canadians will continue to pump money into these bottomless pits until someone says ‘enough’. The federal government has the responsibility to take the required leadership.

The real unfortunate matter is that the preceding comments will likely be the same next year and the status quo will continue to prevail.