Ontario Premier Doug Ford has sharply criticized US politicians for complaining about Canadian wildfire smoke, urging them to offer assistance instead. Speaking at a Toronto emergency response centre on Friday, Ford addressed the ongoing crisis as his government battles nearly 200 forest fires in Northern Ontario.
Ford defends Canada’s wildfire response
At a news conference, Ford dismissed accusations of inaction from American lawmakers, noting Ontario’s history of aiding US disaster relief efforts. “If there’s some politician out there chirping away, maybe what you should do instead of complaining is send help, because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends,” he stated.
He cited past support, including water bombers prepared for California’s wildfires last year—though they were not deployed due to water supply issues—and crews sent to assist with hurricane repairs in the southern US.
US letter sparks sovereignty debate
Four Republican members of Congress recently wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney, claiming their constituents were suffering due to Canada’s alleged failure to control the fires. The letter hinted at potential US intervention, stating, “With sovereignty comes responsibility.”
In an interview with ABC News, Ford called the criticism “the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard,” emphasizing Ontario’s vast size—twice that of Texas—and the current flooding crisis in the latter state. He accused the Michigan lawmakers of politicizing the issue.
Domestic criticism over funding
Ford also defended his government against opposition claims of underfunding fire response teams. He condemned “false information” from NDP and Liberal MPPs, asserting that Ontario’s spending is demand-driven. Last year, the province’s forest fire budget doubled from $135 million to $271 million to meet needs.
