Requiem for a Flood

A Requiem for a Flood

 

 

Of the Fort McMurray wildfires last year, Ralph Goodale – Canada’s Public Safety Minister – said “We need to be able to assure the province of Alberta, and the people of Fort McMurray specifically, that the government of Canada will be there – not just today, but every day to make sure the response is fulsome and adequate to restore their lives.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/sec.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/trudeau-urges-canadians-to-donate-to-help-fort-mcmurray-residents/article29857776/%3Fservice%3Damp?client=ms-android-bell-ca

 

After visiting Sydney, following the Thanksgiving Day floods, Minister Goodale echoed those statements. "They're not going to let red tape stand in the way," Goodale said of provincial and local officials dealing with the disaster. "It's important to get it done. Get the job done."

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/nova-scotia/sydney-flood-cape-breton-ralph-goodale-public-safety-brookland-1.3804712

 

Premier Stephen McNeil and the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Zach Churchill also showed their supports following the floods.

 

“Cape Bretoners can be assured that the province stands with them. We will help them get back on their feet"

-Stephen McNeil

https://liberal.ns.ca/2016/10/14/financial-assistance-announced-help-flooding/

 

"We know that people are going through a very stressful time and we want to do whatever we can to ease their burden

-Stephen McNeil

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/mobile/sydney-flood-victims-now-able-to-apply-for-disaster-assistance-1.3117264

 

“[…] we are so well aware of the devastation that has happened to people's lives, to their property, the disruption that people are experiencing, and we want them to know that, along with all the MLAs I know on Cape Breton Island, their government stands fully behind them.

-Zach Churchill

http://www.openhousens.ca/debates/debates-20-october-2016/?page=11

 

We will do everything we can to make sure people have the information they need and that this process moves as quickly and as efficiently as possible so people can begin rebuilding their lives.”

-Zach Chruchill

http://www.openhousens.ca/debates/debates-20-october-2016/?page=12

 

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil reiterated […] that government still plans to deliver the help promised the day he toured the flood zone.

"My heart goes out to them. It did that day. It's why we responded as quickly as we did,” McNeil said. “We're going to continue to work with them to try and get them back to a life as normal as possible."

-Stephen McNeil

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/sydney-flood-victims-prepare-for-holiday-spent-in-temporary-lodging-1.3216430

 

These words were stated publicly and they were echoed and expanded upon in private conversations. They gave us hope. They guided our decisions. We did not know what we could expect, but we knew that we would be ok. We would be back on our feet. We would be whole; no further ahead, but certainly no further behind.

 

"MacLellan […] agreed all the property claims will reach the $200,000 maximum in the province's disaster relief fund.

"So you start there," said MacLellan, "and that's sort of the money that would be relatively no strings attached, and then you start working on the other issues — property that was in the home, assets, those types of things."

 "I couldn't believe what I saw that day after the storm and it's our duty to do what we can and help them pick up the pieces.

-Geoff MacLellan

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/nova-scotia/sydney-flood-transportation-geoff-maclellan-1.3832532

 

(Zach) Churchill said the province is willing to go beyond its $200,000 disaster assistance cap if there are situations where covering a homeowner's losses cost more.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/nova-scotia/flood-homeowners-emo-province-assistance-1.3887105

 

Mayor Cecil Clarke says the cost of relocating 24 homes recently flooded in a Sydney neighbourhood is now estimated to be $4.5 million and that the province will pay for it.

"We're moving as fast as we can and money is moving without any restriction and what we needed was the clarity of what we could do and what I've been told by the premier and the ministers is do what's needed," 

Cecil Clarke

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/nova-scotia/cbrm-flood-millions-relocate-1.3825083

 

We knew our losses would go well beyond the $200,000 mark. How could they not? We all had mortgages that needed to be paid. Some had just finished paying for theirs. We all had fully furnished houses, holiday decorations, garages, gardens, etc. We had antiques and heirlooms that can’t be replaced. We had a lifetime of memories. We know they can’t be replaced, but we felt like we could be ok. We would be able to afford to pay off our existing mortgages. We could afford a new down payment. “I look at my own riding, there’s 17 to 21 people who lost their entire home, they’re gone … the monies that are out there cannot put these people back to where they were,”

-Ray Paruch, CBRM Counsel 

http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/2016/11/15/cbrm-takes-stock-of-flood-damage-4686597.html

 

The parameters of the Disaster Relief program are flexible. That has been well reported and well established. Provincial officials expanded the financial cap, leaving open the option to eliminate it completely, and the federally mandated $1000 deductible was waived in all cases. "The DFA program does not typically unfold in this way […] Issuing the directive was the right thing to do to ensure we continue to help impacted residents through this difficult time."

-Zach Churchill

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cape-breton-flooding-disaster-financial-assistance-claims-payment-1.3878902

 

But the Province has now distanced themselves from their private and very public promises to us. In most cases the offers made for home, land and contents fall well short of the minimum $200,000 that provincial officials agreed we would receive. In our case, that number is more than $35,000 less. That is almost a down payment on a new home.

 

That is a far cry from helping us to get back on our feet; from easing our burden. It is a far cry from a fulsome and adequate response to restore our lives. It is certainly a far cry form standing behind us.

 

Premier McNeil, Mr. Churchill, Mr MacLellan, these are your words.

 

Do the right thing.

 

 

-Robin Nathanson

#sydney #capebreton #floodsgiving #flood #october #novascotia #liberal #nsndp #progressiveconservative #dotherightthing

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