Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…
Smoky conditions help B.C. fire fight
—
More soldiers deployed to N.W.T for wildfire fight
Defence Minister Bill Blair says another company of soldiers is being deployed to Hay River in the Northwest Territories, which has been evacuated for more than a week due to a threatening wildfire nearby.
Blair announced the deployment to the town located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake in a tweet yesterday afternoon, saying it will bring the number of soldiers who are helping the territory around Hay River and Yellowknife to around 400.
N.W.T officials say a fire that’s forced the evacuation of Yellowknife didn’t grow much yesterday and still remains about 15 kilometres away from the capital, but the fight is expected to become more difficult as temperatures rise this week.
Here’s what else we’re watching …
N.W.T. premier recounts hunt for homeless
The premier of the Northwest Territories says she checked to make sure homeless people weren’t forgotten when a wildfire forced mostly everyone to leave the territorial capital last week.
Caroline Cochrane was a social worker for 20 years before entering politics.
She is now among the nearly 70 per cent of territory residents forced to flee the fire threat, including most of the 20-thousand who live in Yellowknife.
She says the government worked closely with shelters in the city to make sure people were being brought to the evacuation centre.
She says all day on Thursday, she drove around with a homeless man, whose name she didn’t provide, trying to find people still on the street.
—
Gathering to help healing after mass stabbing
A Saskatchewan First Nation that was the site of a mass stabbing last year is hosting a gathering of traditional healing.
Burns says many people in the community are still struggling with trauma and the event is meant to help with healing and provide support.
—
Recently shuffled cabinet meeting in Charlottetown
The Liberal cabinet is in Prince Edward Island’s capital this week for a retreat as it gets ready for the next sitting of the Parliament.
It’s expected the housing crisis will be the central topic for ministers as they sit down to discuss their government’s priorities.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said this summer’s cabinet shuffle was meant to signal a new focus on the economy and affordability.
MPs will be back in the House of Commons on Sept. 18.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2023.
