Hundreds of Manitoba wildfire evacuees have officially made it to Ontario.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) announced that 47 evacuees from Pimicikamak Cree Nation arrived in Niagara Falls around 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Another 200 were expected Sunday night, and MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said 600 more will arrive Monday.
“This has been a harrowing experience for many of our people, but at the end of the day, it’s all about saving lives. It’s all about keeping people safe,” said Settee, who added he is thankful for the work being done in Ontario.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced Monday that 1,000 hotel rooms are being opened up in the province to house evacuees. This comes after First Nation leaders called on the province to open up hotel space.
Settee renewed that call Monday, asking hotels to not book space for large conferences and give first priority to evacuees.
The Grand Chief said the work being done in Niagara is what people should be experiencing in Manitoba right now, but that isn’t the case.
“Our people arrived there. They’ve been welcomed. They had food and the lodging was there and they had people helping coordinate events, like activities for elders. So that’s how you do an evacuation, and we have much to learn here.”
Settee is calling on the province to listen to the First Nations, saying they know how to handle these evacuation situations.
“I think that it’s time that we take control over these systems because it’s always been a situation where people are left hanging outside buildings and not enough personal hygiene products and it’s just a sad case. We just need to take control.”
Settee said everyone from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation has been evacuated, except those who are staying behind to offer essential services.
Evacuation efforts continue in Pimicikamak.
