Modern Commons Party Statement on Wildfires in Northern Manitoba

The Modern Commons Party is calling for immediate and equitable federal response to the wildfire crisis unfolding in Northern Manitoba, where several First Nations, including Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Mathias Colomb, Garden Hill, and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN), have faced mass evacuations under increasingly dangerous conditions.

Party President Thamer Linklater, a member of NCN Cree Nation who now resides in Peterborough, Ontario, emphasized the disparity in response between northern Indigenous communities and southern municipalities, “If a city like Peterborough were surrounded by fire, the response would be instant—planes in the air, hotels ready, emergency personnel deployed. But for northern First Nations, there are delays, debates, and devastating gaps in support. We cannot keep treating Indigenous communities as an afterthought during national emergencies.”

The party condemned the slow federal action in deploying military support and echoed calls from Indigenous leaders for coordinated, timely, and respectful responses rooted in the principles of equity and Indigenous sovereignty.

Modern Commons Party Leader Jack Henry added, “There must not be two tiers of disaster response in this country, one for urban centres, and one for remote Indigenous communities. Every person in Canada deserves to know that help will come when they need it, not after they’ve been forced to plead for it.”

The Modern Commons Party is urging:

• Rapid deployment of emergency military assets to wildfire-threatened First Nations;

• Streamlined coordination between federal, provincial, and Indigenous governments;

• Investment in long-term climate resilience planning for remote and rural communities;

• and meaningful consultation with First Nations leadership during and after crises.

The party affirms that protecting people from natural disasters should never be subject to political calculation or geographical discrimination.

Lives are at stake, and every community deserves to be treated like they matter.