Monte Lake resident Anita Jacobsen (left) speaks to CFJC's Dylana Kneeshaw (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Communicating with wildfire victims would go a long way for the Horgan government

Oct 8, 2021 | 12:15 PM

IT’S BEEN QUITE A YEAR, hasn’t it?

It’s been such a ridiculous year that one of the worst wildfire seasons in recent memory isn’t even in recent memory anymore.

It feels like eons ago that we were choking on smoke and praying our firefighters could keep the flames at bay.

June 30 was when most of Lytton was destroyed. That’s 100 days ago.

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It was August 5 when the flames ripped through Monte Lake and the Paxton Valley, 64 days ago.

For the actual residents of those areas who lost their homes or haven’t been able to return, it must feel even longer.

Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart was as fired up as she has ever been during question period Thursday, saying residents of Lytton have received no indication that the government has remembered their plight.

Tegart aimed her barbs at Premier John Horgan, who she shared a helicopter with in the days following the Lytton fire as they surveyed the devastation..

She said that helicopter tour had given her hope that Horgan would devote the government’s power to helping as soon as possible.

Not long after that, during the height of the fire season, Horgan went off to the east coast for a vacation.

It wasn’t the first or last time a political leader made a bad vacation decision.

Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone followed Tegart with a similar attack on behalf of Monte Lake residents.

He quoted a pair of local residents who said they felt that the government had shunned them.

The government responded by pointing to programs already in place and saying it is in the midst of coordinating the rebuild with the federal government.

To quote Cool Hand Luke, what we have here is a failure to communicate.

These things certainly do take some time to come together, but residents would be far more forgiving of the provincial government if they felt they were being kept in the loop.

Give them the opportunity to speak directly to government officials on a regular basis, to hear about progress or lack thereof and to ask questions.

You’d be surprised how understanding people can be if they feel they are in on the process, rather than being shut out.

It’s not the magic solution, but it’s a good start.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.