Photo submitted by Blake Fishwick
The local NDP candidates are calling for immediate action to help families and communities facing flooding across the region.
It comes from Sol Mamakwa in Kiiwetinoong and JoAnne Formanek Gustafson in Kenora-Rainy River, asking for all needed provincial resources to be dispatched right away.
In a joint statement, the candidate’s state families are being evacuated, communities have become isolated and highways are closed after being flooded.
Families are facing damage to their homes and communities are being cut off from the supply of essential goods as their roads are being washed out by floodwaters.
They add people are sandbagging the shoreline in some places, and docks are floating away.
Meanwhile, the flooding situation in northwestern Ontario has been brought to the attention of MP’s in Ottawa.
Kenora MP Eric Melillo says he’s been making the ministers responsible aware of the situation.
“I had a chance to chat with the Minister of Transport and the Minister for Emergency Preparedness to make sure they are well briefed on the situation and standing by, if called upon, to provide emergency assistance.”
Melillo says while emergency assistance is mainly a provincial responsibility, the federal government can lend aid if the Ontario government asks for help.
(With files from Tim Davidson)
