| Canadian assistance in aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (Motion 5)
October 3, 2005
Canadian assistance in aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (Motion 5) Motion on Notice [click to view video] [Be it resolved that this House offers its sympathy and support to our friends and neighbours in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama dealing with the horrifying aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and recognizes the dedication of British Columbians and Canadians who are providing assistance in dealing with this unprecedented natural disaster.] R. Cantelon: I would like to rise and offer my support of the motion of the member for Vancouver-Burrard. We realized a lot of lessons from the firestorm situation in Kelowna, and I think it sensitized us to the catastrophic events that can occur at the hands of nature. The people of British Columbia were therefore very quick to respond with their expressions of concern to the victims of this horrific disaster in New Orleans and the Bay Area. They responded quickly with a call to action and with dollars in support. Throughout British Columbia we witnessed the spontaneous giving of significant dollars to agencies such as the Red Cross, and I would encourage all those British Columbians who have not yet helped to help through the Red Cross and agencies like that. It struck the city of New Orleans with devastating power on August 25, did Katrina, and then later, of course, Rita. The previous speakers have chronicled some of the specifics, but I think what sticks with many of us were the images we saw on television of people hacking their way out of rooftops in the sweltering heat, trying desperately to save themselves, and of people sitting on trees and other places and being rescued by helicopters. It was really quite a terrible event. We are a caring province, and British Columbians can take pride in the quick response of the emergency team that was sent from this province. It is worth re-peating that they saved over 119 lives in their efforts. One of the most significant things is the instinctive way we responded with action. The team, I understand, got there before some of the FEMA teams arrived. There are a couple of lessons that I think we can take from this. We always can learn from the effects of natural disasters and how they affect our community. One, of course, is that we can never be prepared enough. We are not immune to natural disasters in B.C. We all recall March of 1964 when the 9.2 earthquake hit the Alaska panhandle and sent an eight-foot tsunami up into Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. Of course, we are sensitive to some of the vulnerabilities we have to earthquakes. We can always be prepared and, I think, can take assurance that we are learning, and we are continuing to refine our methods of response to natural disasters. It's a key priority for this government. But there's more than that. It wasn't just the devastation to homes, the homelessness that was created. It was the devastation and disruption to the way their governments functioned under this natural disaster. It was how they failed, frankly — failed to communicate with one another and respond. The very roots of what we know as our civilization — the foundations of civility and civilization — were threatened by the examples, as indicated by the previous speaker, of civil disorder. We must also not only prepare ourselves in material ways and in the way we respond with emergency teams but must guard ourselves to make sure our institutions are strong and can respond and maintain the order of government in these situations. I'm confident that this is a caring province and that we will respond, as the previous speakers have indicated. This is a province that rises to the occasion, that inspires hope and that responds with a genuine outpouring of sympathy, affection and assistance for people in need. I would like to close by saying I warmly and heartily endorse the motion put forward by the member for Vancouver-Burrard. | |
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