As wildfire smoke blankets parts of the country and spills into the United States, some U.S. lawmakers have sent a letter to the Canadian government saying that “sovereignty comes with responsibility.”
Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar penned a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, and reportedly sent it on Wednesday “demanding immediate action from the Canadian government,” a press release said.
“American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year,” the letter said.
“Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met.”
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Peterborough Humane Society collecting pet items to help Ontario families impacted by wildfires -
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Air quality worsens in Peterborough area as wildfire smoke lingers -
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Ford government requests assistance from feds as wildfires rage in northern Ontario -
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Sinus Specialist on Wildfire Smoke -
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Wildfires Ravage Northwestern Ontario
The reference to Canada’s sovereignty comes after repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to make Canada the “51st state” and after repeated threats to annex Greenland.
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This isn’t the first time the representatives have complained about wildfire smoke coming from Canada with similar letters sent last year.
“Last year, Reps. James and Bergman each wrote letters to your government to raise the alarm about wildfire smoke pouring across our border from Canada into our communities,” the letter said.
“We write jointly this time because a year has passed, the season has come around again, and nothing has changed except that our patience has run out.”
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Ontario wildfires: Residents evacuate devastated Collins First Nation as infrastructure wiped out -
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Health alerts issused as wildfire smoke continues to blanket Peterborough region -
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Canada has been fighting some of the worst wildfires on record in recent years and has taken steps to increase the response.
In May, more fire-fighting aircraft was leased to combat this year’s wildfire season, but many communities are still being forced to evacuate as homes and livelihoods are destroyed.
Those who aren’t impacted by the fires directly are likely experiencing the smoke this week, with air quality alerts issued by Environment Canada in dozens of communities, including Toronto.
Much of the smoke seen through parts of Ontario and into parts of Michigan and surrounding areas is coming from severe wildfires raging in Northern Ontario.
“We are done accepting apologies in place of action. If Canada will not manage its forests to prevent these fires, the United States will look elsewhere, and act on our own, to protect our people,” the letter said.
“That means our own agencies exploring direct involvement in cross-border fuel reduction and firefighting capacity.”
Global News has sent requests for comment to both the Prime Minister’s Office and Global Affairs Canada, but did not receive a response by publication.
Look to your own, america isn’t short of wildfires either, neither is the rest of the world. Any population downwind of any fire is experiencing smoke issues.
Dealing with belligerent politicians is the last thing to deal with. Hopefully, someone passing will put their toys back in their prams.
Canada cannot stop wildfires from happening! What ignorant statements from the US! Why not send help to put out these fiires? Ever heard of natural disasters????
What else can you really expect from our intelligence comprises neighbours to the south, when 40 million of these geniuses believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows……..
Wouldn’t it be nice if Americans took responsibility for the impact that they’ve had on life on our planet? Fists of iron and tissue paper skin.
What about the high gasoline prices spilling into Canada from the US was with Iran?
Once again. Carney is the coward running away scared from our former biggest allies. The damage the Liberals have done to Canada is beyond words.
Perhaps the US should reimburse Canada and the rest of the world for the costs of their contribution to climate change? I understand the US is largest contributor of C02 cumulatively since the Industrial Revolution and is second in the world in current times. Only China is worse than the US?
I see all the toddlers finished their juice boxes
Does that logic apply to 1: Carbon Dioxide emissions which drive climate change; 2: illegal firearms which flood north and raise crime rates and murders?
Nobody in Canada wants to hear your whining about smoke from our wildfires America,especially after we send help for your cities while they burn
Canada has shown zero proactiveness as a country! We are out here saving our children from rapist Mexicans and your all lazing about letting them smuggle fentanyl into ours
Canada is a disgrace.
If they believed in actual action they would be killing off the filthy Mexican spics like we are!
Talk is cheap and that is all Canada does is talk. Zero action….
@ Anonymous. Canada has one of the highest GhG emissions per person in the entire world. Canadians are hypocrites and unserious about meaningful climate action.
Meanwhile, the Bonner’s Ferry fire, which is being allowed to burn, drifts smoke over my home town.
Meanwhile the USA is wrecking devestation upon Iran.
Meanwhile the USA has kidnapped the Venezualan President and is holding him illegally.
Perhaps these idiots should look to see what damage their own government is doing to the world.
Wow, just wow. Next time LA etc can burn. We will keep our fire fighters and equipment here.
Canada can become an irrelevant and irresponsible country for decades. They freeloaded of NATO and the USA which is a total disgrace.
Well stop the rollback of green energy coal use etc you stupid americain fucks.
funny when these comments come from ignorants who created the climate change disaster in the first place – oh, also, by wirtting this, I already wasted too much time on this hypocrites…
Well.. here is to hoping iran gets em with the Ole dirty bomb.
Silly yanks
I am so happy I chose to go to the USA instead of Canada when I left HK. USA is so much better and in Florida we don’t get winter. DeSantis is an amazing Governor also.
@Sam U – Now tell us what Canadas military capabilities are.
Dear Murica,
Typical, myopic self centred hypocritical amnesiacs.
When y’all were on fire, Canada did the neighbourly thing and sent our best water bombers… and when Canada is burning all we get are arrogant threats from the peanut gallery. When the time comes, y’all better manage your nuclear fallout and keep it in check ;)
Really…while Trump is decimating environmental protections in America and putting his citizens’ health at risk, their politicians are criticizing Canada over largely uncontrollable wildfires, not to mention you have your own wildfires. One of our Canadian firefighters just died trying to help you put out one of your fires. Plus you can’t keep your food supply safe…Cyclospora anyone, and now it’s impacting and sickening Canadians. “Sovereignity comes with responsibility” guys. Your politicians would be way further ahead being neighbourly and offering support than being self-righteous asshats.
Funny thing trump has no cards for iran. Super power
Trump should offer no help to entitled and ungrateful Canadians.
What absolute balderdash!!! As if we never get bad air from the US. Do they not have forest fires. Of course they do!
How about all of the guns and drugs that pour in from the US daily 365 days a year, year after year?
Belligerent hypocrites!
Take off eh!
Other than China, the United States is the largest contributor to historical emissions (since 1850), contributing directly to global warming and the cause of the wildfires in Canada. Then they turn around and blame Canada for the smoke? How very American of them.
Did canada get smoke and smog from California?
How’s the fire fighting success going in Californi? Empty heads prevail.
Canadian firefighter are like there dollar. Worthless!!
What do you want us to do, cut down every tree? You already said you don’t want our lumber…
Canada can’t even protect itself without the USA, so what real “sovereignty “ to they have. America could take over wherever and whenever they want to. Total fact.
Canad is all talk an no action. Sad state of affairs for what was a great speech. Now Canadians boast of a “Davos” like it is something meaningful. Total joke honestly.
Carney is a liberal idiot that’s a fact. But he is all we got. Because all the other idiots keep voting Liberal. Soon we will be dealing with a far left socialist govt. have fun with that !! Commies !!
Should include American polluted water flowing and Michigan wild fire smoke coming and compensation for Canadian fire fighters fighting and dying in American fires Ross
Dee…It is obvious that the USA and American ls live rent free in your head.
These comments are the epitome of entitled whiney Canadians that talk a lot but no action is shown.
We can be neighbours. We don’t need to be friends. Let’s just get along. EH!
I recall when Ontario and Quebec got mad when smoke was blowing into their provinces from Alberta. They blamed everything on the Oil and Gas Indusoand “greedy” Albertans. What hypocrisy as now they get offended when the USA doesn’t like smoke blowing into their provinces USA from Ontario.
Ford and Carney have done a lousy job and have allowed these fires to get out of control
Like really!!! What do they want carney clown to do put up big fans and blow it up north!! Fnnn idiots!! Like get real here !!!
Loser Yankees! So funny
Trump tariffed the smoke that’s why it’s relocating to the USA
How can Americans get any more stupid. Hey I know: Let’s build a wall to keep the smoke out and make the USA pay for it.
The rebuttal is easy. Good neighbors help out. Just like we help out with there fires that do to the jetstream don’t even effect Canada, but there we are in California and Colorado fighting side by side as good neighbors do.
@ Emily spoken like an American with a superiority complex. (Now follow closely) having a superiority complex; an exaggerated sense of self-importance to mask deep seated feelings of inadequacy.
To emily wong…
What a dumb comment..
The americans should just be quiet…
They say you can’t teach stupid. So it must be the water they drink down there in utopia. Lol
Every time I think that MAGAts could not possibly be any stupider they manage to surprise me.
Like our sovereignty can control natural forest fires or the weather.So how did that work in California, does this mean the US could have prevented those but chose not to, them being omnipotent and able to control the weather and all.
Do the U.S senators and lawmakers know that there are fires burning in northern Minnesota, wow right next door to Canada
America go f yourself
Hey USA!
Thanks for the Tariffs from your POS “President”.
CHOKE ON IT.
Signed,
CANADA.
(NEVER THE 51St.)
Americans are not suprised. Canadians cat fight forest fires and certainly not armed conflicts as Canada doesn’t have a functioning military. Canada is good for talk, but little else.
And California only had a couple of campfires.
A small group of American GOP lawmakers have the gall to say ‘souvereignty comes with responsibility.’
Well yes it does, and it works both ways, so how about you American lawmakers stop sending that terrible parasite cyclosporiasis north across the border from the US to Canada?
Liberal government should be kicked out. They tax our lives through carbon tax but cut back funding to fight forest fires. If they really cared about the environment they would buy more water bombing planes and stop taxing cars.
Lynne Canadians are the virtuous and arrogant ones.
I made a typo in my earlier comment. United States should change there name to (PAA) Pompus Ass of America.
In fact, maybe disgusting carbon taxes should pay to stop forest fires from getting so bad, because intelligent thought over emotional damage.
Dee. America is superior and a superpower. Canadas grapes are sour hence why Canadians bad mouth Americans 24/7
Elbows Up Carney is blaming Harper, PP, and Trump because to the out of control fires in NW Ontario. Meanwhile, Carney is virtue signalling.
Lmfao to all of the brainwashed Liberals that think they are entitled to prosperity.
Thats what it is, right? You all think you’re entitled to the life of a millionaire even though no effort exists to support that reality, so you dream up nonsense to justify your opinion.
A super power is such that no one thinks they can overtake their military supremacy.
Culture, race, sex, and pathetically considered orientations have absolutely nothing to do with it, or any other thing.
Go away. Get out of the way. Go extinct. Cease to exist, and so on.
Barb,
Smoke from California doesn’t get into Canada typically. Try to do some research .
How about “All the Harm -AMERICANS……have caused / CANADIANS/ for decades……..😠 and have never been compensated……for including current — administration….. 😳😳😳!!!
Canadian government likes crisis way toomuch to actually deal with issues correctly.
More fire = more rules
Last year Nova-Scotia banned talking a walk in the forest for 25000$ fine.
@ Adriana we aren’t crying, your republican law makers are and we don’t want your help, nor are we asking for help. The United States should do something about their superiority complex, like shove it where the sun don’t shine.
What about when California had all the fires, we didn’t complain about the smoke, we helped the firefighters down there so Trump & his kool-aid aid drinking buddies, just suck it up you ungrateful people!
Lard Ford talks tough and is so ant-American. He should be accountable for letting the fires get out of control.
I thought Canadians were boycotting the USA and are going “Elbows Up”. So why are they crying and expecting help now from the USA? I hope Trump offers no help at all.
The U.S. should change their name to (PSA)Pompous Ass of America.
for Hillbilly Jake you are an idiot, and from our point of view amuuricans like yourself are idiots. go back to the woods.
The future generations in Canada will be just fine without a bunch if miserable old people telling them what to do AKA Conservatives
USA has done way more meaningful work on “climate change” then Canada has Now, Canada can’t even control fires within its own borders Didn’t Carney say the carbon tax would prevent all this? Lol
Perhaps instead of bitching and complaining these Republican senators and lawmakers could send some fire fighters to help out, like we do for them! We have no control over wind direction!! And with sovereignty comes responsibility? WHO THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE? I like so many other
Canadians am so tired of the arrogance of the American government!! Get over yourselves!
So, When the USA is burning and the smoke comes up to Canada the USA should do more, When the rivers overflow and cause flooding in Canada, The USA should do more. Wake up people, this is not a country controllable item. Who will the USA say is responsible the next time a hurricane hits, or a tsunami hits the coast.
They should keep their ticks at the border would be my response: Driven by warming climates, tick populations—including the blacklegged tick and the Lone Star tick—are migrating from the United States into Canada at a rate of 35 to 55 kilometres per year. This northward movement is expanding the ranges of these vectors, introducing new health risks—such as anaplasmosis and meat allergies—into Canadian communities.Previously, the Canadian climate was harsh enough to keep these tick populations restricted to the extreme southern borders. However, shorter winters, longer summers, and changes in the migration patterns of host animals (like migratory birds and white-tailed deer) have allowed them to establish breeding grounds much further north, including widespread areas in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia.
And also, we aren’t as petty is why we don’t make irrational hare brained comments like your gov’t or yourself. Take your ticks back you maggot.
Why don’t the politicians mind their own problems with Wildfires which they have much more than we do. Sovereignty has nothing to do with Wildfires. We have assisted with putting out their fires with our water bombers for years
Everyone in Ohio realizes the US scores poorly compared to Canada on world freedom and democracy indices. As consolation, at least people from the US are popular outside their country. Must be why they steal our Canadian identity when traveling. And how is that Iran war that USA is losing going?
Didn’t Trudeau and Carney say Canada needs to be ready for “climate change”. Just more lip service and nothing is done. They were supposed to bring in more fire equipment. They have done nothing, just like the repeated inaction with flooding by Abbotsford BC. Total inaction by Carney.
Nancy. Isn’t Carney building a new pipeline?
Canadians would certainly be crying if the situation was flipped and USA wildfire smoke was billowing into Canada. Instead, Canadians make excuses and shift the blame elsewhere. Hence why most Americans can’t stand Canadians anymore. Total spineless wimps.
The deranged US President has raised fuel prices all over the world and caused inflation to rise everywhere. Sovereignty requires responsibility….
LOL.
So many institutionalized Canadians with no clue screaming “everything is the USA’s fault”. It’s a sad state this country is in with a very dark future for the generations to come.
Maybe if the Americans would stop bombing which is causing the planet to heat up with environmental damage be a breath of fresh air and quit complaining when Canada has come to the rescue to put fires out in the useless US and pull away where they can using fossil fuels……same for everyone
Exactly! We need a wall to protect us from Trump and his legion of uneducated idiots
Trump will Tariff the smoke! Where are the Iranians when you need them to fulfill their threats!?
Build that wall!
@Reality – you would know sanctimonious, right? And you’re an idiot, just like those Republican dolts in Michigan.
Americans have been useless. We send our very best during their worst wildfires and they complain during ours. At this point ban them from coming into Canada. I’m afraid their idiocy will spread to our population
Wow, their lumber industry must be really desperate for “evil, subsidised Canadian raw logs.
As a casus belli goes, unimaginative.
In any event, they can send us their soldiers and we’ll return their Honoured Dead, again
The U.S.A should reflect on where the smoke and ash goes from all the wild fires that occur in their own country before they threaten Canada with retribution for what are essentially “acts of God” and cannot be totally planned for, nor easily rectified no matter how much money and lives you throw at it! How many times have Canada and various nations of the world come to your rescue when wild fires have overcome your planning and resources. At least our leaders don’t allocate funding for disasters based on which political party runs that particular city etc., or predominate race in the area, or religion, sex or any other demographic which happens to be irritating said “leader” that day!
Canada’s politicians are NOTHING but puppets of the parasitic rich and so long as this infestation is tolerated NOTHING will ever work properly again.
This is truth.
The U.S.A should reflect on where the smoke and ash goes from all the wild fires that occur in their own country before they threaten Canada with retribution for what are essentially “acts of God” and cannot be totally planned for, nor easily rectified no matter how much money and lives you throw at it! How many times have Canada and various nations of the world come to your rescue when wild fires have overcome your planning and resources. At least our leaders don’t allocate funding for disasters based on which political party runs that particular city etc., or predominate race in the area, or religion, sex or any other demographic which happens to be irritating said leader that day!
Sorry America for all the smoke from our fires caused by your destroying the world environment by burning coal and drill-baby-drilling…
Nothing says Liberal better than them crying about the idea of actually doing something to prevent it, like taking fire season seriously and stopping the pollution generated by it.
But, they would rather tax you while seeking trading partners that require more emmissions to trade with, let fires burn for emphasis and drama when they were the ones that said they had the solution.
Canada should be Team Global Fire Stoppers whose fleets are so massive they routinely help fight forest fires around the world.
Or, ya know, be sanctimonious instead.
Face it, cunada is a totally useless cuntry
Maybe we should stop spraying our forests with highly flammable glysophate.
When California had its wild fires, Canadians sent water bombers and firefighters. When we have wild fires the US sends threatening letters.
No liberal strawman argument. It is not entirely Carney’s fault, but it sure is the fault of Liberals that have done nothing in over a decade to acquire, or help Provinces acquire, the tools they need to fight an increase in the areas affected by fire in forested areas around Canada given they are the ones levying a tax and collecting the billions in revenue for something, something climate change.
If climate change means more fires, it means more investment in water bombers and fire fighting capacity. Part of the cost associated with inaction. Now’s that time all of the Liberal’s policies should swing into action, unless of course, it was just fear mongering and they are nothing but talk.
Yes, it does. Canada is not doing everything it can.
Statistical data shows that there are fewer incidents of forest fires but that the area affected per incident is increasing.
Whether it is due to climate change or not is irrelevent. If climate change means fires are more difficult to control because wider areas are affected, you get the equipment required to deal with it -not shrug your shoulders in defeat as if more water bombers is somehow not a solution to more fires.
Yes, because it’s Carney’s direct responsibility to stop fires, eh? MAGA trolls being ridiculous as usual. Tell me, pray tell, how the Canadian government should stop the winds from blowing the smoke over the border, and how the government is supposed to stop wild fires from starting? It’s forest fire smoke folks; an act of God. Enough with the partisan hackery on every damn issue.
So when the US has the same issue….we just have to sit back and take it? Will Poilievre and the conservatives speak up against this or stay silent and agree?
Oh no, poor Americans. As if the smoke crossing over the border would be the reason we put out the fires. And as if they don’t have their own environmental and political issues that affect Canadians.
They can suck my Canadian maple balls.
How can these American politicians be so stupid and not realize global warming climate change are real and Canada is doing everything it can to combat the forest fire issue. I have friends in California who were impacted by the fires there. Like Canada is not doing everything it can to deal with this problem. Wake up American Politicians and fix your own problems. Lord knows you have enough of them.
Canada had to go through all the smoke when California had all those wildfires
Canadians always play victims and can’t take any responsibility. They probably blame Trumps for the fires up in Ontario.
They are right
Carney has been doing all the virtue signalling that his idiots lap up but hasn’t actually accomplished anything
Time to put up or shut up.
Maybe these politicians should spend their energy on doing something about climate change before their country burns to the ground
Maybe these primadonnas should spend their energy doing something about climate change
What an absolute bunch of morons running the DSA, thinking we can control the wildfire smoke. Sure we will do that right away Mr. Tangerine Führer
It is true. Carney has let the fires get out of control. Better forest management and fire protection and equipment is needed. This was promised by the Liberals since 2015. The climate is changing, and always will, so we must be prepared for it.