Latest news with #MikeEllis
CBC
18-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Premier criticizes report that says Alberta hindered efforts to fight Jasper wildfire
Social Sharing Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is criticizing a report into last summer's devastating Jasper wildfire that says her government hindered efforts to fight the blaze that destroyed a third of the townsite and sent 25,000 people fleeing. "It is disheartening to see a report and the media response to that report that so clearly overlooks the substantial, co-ordinated efforts undertaken by the Alberta government during the Jasper wildfire," Smith wrote Friday on social media. "Alberta's swift deployment of crews, emergency funding and operational support played a critical role in protecting lives and infrastructure, and these contributions are either minimized or ignored entirely." Smith also called the report and media coverage of it "politically motivated." WATCH | Through the lens: A week since the start of the Jasper wildfire: Through the lens: A week since the start of the Jasper wildfire 12 months ago In the week since Jasper National Park's residents and visitors were ordered to flee as wildfires approached, hours of video footage have emerged chronicling the evacuation, the firefight and the first glimpses of the ravaged town, where about 30 per cent of the structures were destroyed. This compilation brings together videos gathered by our crews or verified by our journalists. In a joint statement issued later Friday, Smith along with Mike Ellis, Alberta's safety minister, Todd Loewen, Alberta's forestry minister and Jason Nixon, minister of social services, further criticized the report and media reports on those findings. "The report and the media response not only appear politically motivated, they are also misguided, given their selective framing and failure to acknowledge the tireless work of provincial emergency personnel and leadership," the statement reads. "Notably, local officials raised no concerns when provincial wildfire firefighting teams arrived rapidly with personnel and equipment, nor when Alberta stepped up to fill gaps in funding, logistics and accommodations." In the statement, provincial government officials maintain that Alberta Wildfire provided crews, equipment and expertise from the first day of the fire response, assisted in evacuation efforts and worked to save structures all night when the fire breached the townsite. The province said Alberta's emergency management cabinet committee demonstrated strong leadership throughout the crisis. "This support reinforced the importance of unified command and interagency co-ordination, something the report itself seems to misunderstand or downplay," Smith said in the joint statement. "Incident reports help us learn to improve and we hope all jurisdictions take a closer look at their own deficiencies rather than blame others." The report, released Thursday, was commissioned by the town of Jasper and based on surveys of more than 200 firefighters and others. It said Smith's government complicated the response by regularly requesting information and by attempting to make decisions despite not being jurisdictionally responsible, given that it's a national park. It adds government interference disrupted the focus of fire leaders and forced them to spend precious time managing inquiries and issues instead of responding to the fire. Smith said the report either overlooks or ignores Alberta's contributions, such as providing firefighters, equipment and financial resources. "The report also fails to seriously address the broader and ongoing issue of forest management practices within national parks, an area of exclusive federal responsibility," Smith wrote on social media.
Global News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Alberta government created command challenges fighting Jasper wildfire: Report
A report into a Jasper wildfire that devastated the Rocky Mountain resort town last summer says crews did their best but command and control was hampered by the Alberta government. The report was commissioned by the town and surveyed participants and firefighters who battled the wind-whipped blaze that destroyed a third of buildings in the community located in Jasper National Park. While the report says it wasn't meant to assign blame, it notes that town and Parks Canada officials trained together and had an integrated command structure, but things became challenging when the province got involved. Story continues below advertisement It says the Alberta government, while not jurisdictionally responsible to lead the crisis, made things more difficult with regular requests for information and by seeking to exercise decision-making authority. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The report says the interference disrupted the focus of incident commanders and forced them to spend precious time managing inquiries and issues instead of fighting the fire and leading the re-entry of residents. 'The response to the Jasper Wildfire Complex demonstrated the effectiveness of the strong Unified Command established by the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada,' said the report, issued Thursday. 'Provincial involvement added complexity to the response as the Province of Alberta, though not jurisdictionally responsible to lead the incident, regularly requested information and sought to exercise decision-making authority,' stated the report. 1:36 Jasper gets more government aid for wildfire recovery 'While Alberta Wildfire actively supported firefighting operations and participated in the (incident management team), jurisdictional overlap with the province created political challenges that disrupted the focus of incident commanders, leading to time spent managing inquiries and issues instead of directing the wildfire response and re-entry.' Story continues below advertisement A spokesman for Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said they were working on a response. Jasper officials said they were not able to comment on the report but could do so Friday. The fire entered the town last July 24, with 25,000 residents and visitors forced out days earlier. The residents were out for three weeks.
Calgary Herald
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Calgary will be the headquarters for Independent Agency Police Service in Alberta
Alberta announced the creation of a new provincial police task force on Wednesday, with Calgary as its headquarters. Article content The police service follows legislation passed in the spring that allowed for the birth of a new agency, called the Independent Agency Police Service, overseen by a board of civilians, and a Crown corporation, both of which would operate at 'arm's length' of the government. Article content Article content Article content 'The IAPS will be able to provide targeted support, working closely with police services and municipal and First Nations leaders to identify where additional resources are needed,' Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said at a news conference on Wednesday. Article content The province also named former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar, who has spent more than 25 years as a police officer, as the head of the agency. Article content Article content 'It's an honour to take on this role and help shape a modern police service built for Alberta,' Parhar said. Article content 'My focus from Day 1 will be on setting high standards for professionalism, building strong relationships with our partners and ensuring this service reflects the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.' Article content Article content The province hasn't provided an exact timeline or cost of starting and operating the new service. 'There is a labour component of this that we're going to be working out,' Ellis said. Article content The province will draw police officers from Alberta Sheriffs, which currently performs a few policing responsibilities but doesn't have a civilian oversight board. Article content The fate of the approximately 1,200 sheriffs hired by Alberta hangs in the balance, as the province has previously indicated that it plans to hire 600 sheriffs for the new police force, and dedicate the money that is set for the agency to operating the latest service. Article content The new force will not replace the RCMP, Ellis said, but will work alongside the federal agency to provide more options to municipalities, some of which have complained about longer wait times and rising costs of contracting with the federal police service.
CBC
02-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta names provincial police force, appoints former Calgary officer as first chief
Alberta's government has named its own provincial police force and announced its first chief. Premier Danielle Smith says former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar has been tapped to lead the new force, which the province will call the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service. Parhar retired in 2019 after more than two decades with the Calgary Police Service in a variety of roles. Smith says the new service isn't meant to replace the RCMP entirely, though municipalities will have the option to contract the new service for its local policing needs instead of the Mounties. As the force's first chief, Parhar will lead more than 600 existing provincial sheriffs, and he says his first order of business will be to hire an executive team and develop recruitment standards. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis says the new police force will be more capable to meet the needs of rural communities, citing slow response times and staffing issues for the RCMP in Alberta's smaller municipalities.
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Smith to give update on creation of Alberta provincial police service
Danielle Smith will give an update Wednesday on the creation of a provincial police service. Mason DePatie reports. Danielle Smith will give an update Wednesday on the creation of a provincial police service. Mason DePatie reports. Alberta's premier will be providing an update on Wednesday about setting up a provincial police service. Danielle Smith, Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis and the parliamentary secretary for Indigenous and rural policing will give a progress update at 12:30 p.m. The mayor of Coaldale and deputy mayor of Hardisty will also be speaking at the event. The last major update on the new police service came back in April when Bill 49 was introduced. The legislation proposes establishing a Crown corporation to operate a provincial police force separate from the RCMP. Municipalities would the have the option of opting in, especially if they feel underserved by the RCMP. According to the town of Hardisty's website, the town spends $2.4 million annually on RCMP services. Earlier this spring, the Town of Hardisty issued a tender to initiate a study on policing. At the time, Mayor Wayne Jackson discussed the issue of rural crime and how the RCMP was stretched thin in the area. When Bill 49 was first introduced, Ellis noted Alberta was short up to 20 per cent in RCMP staffing and paying millions for services that sometimes don't show up. The idea of a provincial police force isn't without controversy. A 2021 study found an independent police service could end up being more expensive than the RCMP.
