In Question Period yesterday Member of Parliament Niki Ashton questioned the Prime Minister noting last week the people of Little Grand Rapids Manitoba were terrified in an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already inside their community.  She said they asked for help and it wasn’t until the last minute that the government stepped up.  Ashton questioned why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help and added will this government recognize that instead of investing 4.5 billion dollars in a pipeline they should be investing in all-weather roads to First Nations and improving the lives of First Nations people in this country?

The Prime Minister pointed out they continue to be extremely proud of the investments in partnership with Indigenous Communities to build houses, roads, schools, community infrastructure and hospitals and they know they have lots more to do but it would help if they weren’t losing 15 billion dollars every year because we can’t get our resources in any other market than the United States.  He added that’s why they’re moving forward on growing our economy while protecting the environment and enabling them to do even more for all their partners across the country.