Stony Rapids Officials Angered By Nilson Comments

Stony Rapids Officials Angered By Nilson Comments

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at 15:12

Some recent words by a government politician are receiving a cool reception in a northern village.

Environment minister John Nilson says he thinks the community of Stony Rapids could have done a better job of getting itself ready for this summer’s fire season.

A blaze in June resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of community residents and came dangerously close to the edge of the village.

Yesterday, Nilson publicly stated fire breaks were not completed by community leaders before that happened and that falls under their responsibility.

However, Stony Rapids resident and former administrator Georges Mercredi says it’s Nilson’s people who have some explaining to do.

Mercredi says a couple of water bombers could have put the fire out or severely dampened it before it came so close.

He says it’s the government’s new policy — letting flames go unchecked until they come within 20 kilometres of a northern community — that’s to blame.