PARIS – Premier Scott Moe is so far resisting calls for heads to roll following release of the MNP report into Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s wildfires response.
The independent review released on June 12 pointed to shortcomings in many aspects of the agency’s preparedness for and handling of the 2025 wildfire situation, which saw heavy losses in Denare Beach and East Trout Lake in particular.
In a conference call with reporters while in Paris, France on his European tour, Moe was asked about recent calls for SPSA President Marlo Pritchard or vice-president Steve Roberts to resign, and whether there would be a shakeup in the leadership of the SPSA.
Moe replied that if there are any changes with respect to staffing within the SPSA it “wouldn't necessarily be changes that would be made by elected members of the government.”
“But I would say that largely what I saw come out of the MNP report was a number of recommendations saying that we need to do better as a Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, and we need to do better as a government in supporting the work that they do,” said Moe.
He pointed to a “number of initial answers” proposed by Community Safety Minister Michael Weger when the MNP report was released last week. He said that “over the course of the next weeks and months and into the foreseeable future, we should be able to, as a government, as a disaster response agency, start to build on some of those initial efforts.”
Moe was referring to the 11 immediate action items Weger announced in response to the report's recommendations. Those include reviewing the SPSA's organizational structure and emergency response model, improving communication and expanding community involvement in wildfire response, more wildfire reservists, and in particular creating a FireSmart grant program offering up to $40,000 for communities.
Moe said some of the government’s response to that review is to bring forward “not only a plan but a funding mechanism for northern communities to access so that we can FireSmart more, if not all of our northern communities.”
He pointed to the example of Wadin Bay on the effectiveness of their Fire Smart program in protecting that community from the wildfires last year.
“And so we're hoping that with having a program in place at many communities, hopefully all will take the initiative over the next year or two or three and truly work together, the province and local communities and those that live there, local fire departments, to FireSmart any of our communities that ultimately may be in danger at some point.”
Moe also acknowledged the other efforts they would be looking at as well.
“And, you know, whatever that looks like, I won't preclude what that looks like with respect to, you know, restructuring, expanding the agency, working possibly with Northern communities, maybe First Nations communities on, you know, training more Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 firefighters, training community members to ensure that our communities are FireSmart and not just for one year, but FireSmart in each and every year. With respect to what that looks like, that might be a little bit different in each community. So I think there's an ongoing discussion for us to have on how can we keep our communities and our homes safer, largely in the northern parts of our province.”
When asked again whether there ought to be a resignation, Moe said he “won't comment on whether or not I think there should be a resignation.”
“But what I would say is there needs to be an improvement in level of service within the SPSA,” Moe said.
“And I would say an ongoing improvement and discussion and an openness to how the government can ultimately support the SPSA in the work that they do today. And the work that is expected that we're going to be able to aspire to in the days ahead and in the future.”
Meanwhile, the opposition New Democrats have stepped up attacks on the government in the wake of the MNP report. On Monday they called on Moe to personally apologize and to fire the former Public Safety minister responsible for the SPSA, Tim McLeod, from cabinet completely over the response, even though McLeod is no longer in charge of that portfolio.
The NDP also condemned the government for not releasing the report sooner, noting it was delayed five months.
“Scott Moe should apologize for this disaster and for lying and trying to hide the review into the worst wildfire season in Saskatchewan history,” said Jordan McPhail, Northern Affairs critic, in a statement Monday morning. “Once he’s done that, he should pair it up with an announcement that Tim McLeod has been fired from Cabinet, once and for all."
With files from Jon Perez.
