As wildfires burn across the province, CUPE Ontario extends sympathy and solidarity to the many who are affected by these catastrophic events.
In our support we include all those who have lost their homes and livelihoods, the First Nations communities under evacuation orders, and of course CUPE members whose jobs expose them to the dangers caused by the current levels of fire and smoke.
In both anger and frustration, we note that Canada’s prime minister and Ontario’s premier seem utterly indifferent to the new and dangerous changes in wildfire season; to the devastation experienced by residents of remote and rural communities; and to the acceleration and uncontrollable impact of wildfires happening due to fossil fuel-driven climate change.
The willful ignorance and disconnect displayed by our leaders in the face of our climate’s breakdown are breathtaking in their arrogance. In the same month that our country finds itself literally on fire, Prime Minister Carney committed tens of billions of dollars to build a major oil pipeline across western Canada. Not to be outdone, Premier Ford announced a week later that his government is planning a 3300-kilometre oil pipeline across Ontario.
Adding to the scandal of these decisions, neither level of government engaged with Indigenous leaders beforehand on these plans and both federal and provincial leaders are dedicated to cuts for the public services that we all rely on and keep us safe when emergencies happen.
In particular we must hold the Ford Conservatives accountable for the cuts they have imposed on the province’s ability to prepare for and fight wildfires. The millions in cuts to Ontario’s firefighting budgets have put entire communities at risk, while understaffing and insufficient resources have reduced the ability of firefighters, pilots and emergency responders to effectively tackle wildfires in northern Ontario.
As Ontario NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois noted, “Right now, two water bombers are sitting on the ground because of a lack of pilots.” We echo her call for Doug Ford and his Conservatives “to provide the necessary help to tackle the immense scale for wildfires affecting families, communities and First Nations across the North.”
This is also CUPE’s Year of Health and Safety. As trade unionists, we are uniquely positioned to ensure issue around health and safety for ourselves, for our co-workers and forthe people we serve and care for in our communities.
We encourage CUPE Ontario’s members and locals to consult CUPE’s fact sheet on wildfire smoke and work with their workplaces’ joint health and safety committees to meet the immediate threat posed by wildfires. You may refer too to the resources from CUPE Ontario’s Health and Safety Committee and from CUPE National’s resources on heat stress.
Workers are always on the front lines of every crisis, and the multiple crises caused by catastrophic climate breakdown, including wildfires, are now being felt by us all. CUPE Ontario is committed to being part of the collective efforts to ensure safe and liveable communities and to hold leaders like Premier Ford to account for the decisions they make that affect our future in the province and on our planet.
