Special cabinet committee set up to deal with Fort McMurray fire

Federal Public Safety minister Ralph Goodale said a special cabinet committee is now established solely to deal with the aftermath of the devastating Fort McMurray fire.

Appearing on Gormley on News Talk Radio, Goodale said the idea is to coordinate all federal responses toward getting Fort McMurray residents back on their feet.

 “To ensure all the infrastructure is up and running, that communications and telecommunications systems are fully functioning,” he explained. 

The infrastructure has to be restored before people can get back to their homes. 

About 10 per cent of houses and other buildings in Fort McMurray were destroyed in the fire last week. A lot of buildings survived but also suffered some level of smoke damage. 

“There’s a lot to be done to get people out of the temporary evacuation centres back into their communities, reestablishing their lives,” he commented.

Goodale said the federal role will be in full support of the Alberta provincial government which will lead the recovery effort.