The Opposition NDP’s effort to establish an independent public inquiry into the government’s response to a wildfire that ravaged a northern Saskatchewan village this summer has been blocked.
The motion put forward by Saskatchewan NDP MLA Jordan McPhail was defeated by the provincial government when it was introduced on Tuesday.
McPhail has led the NDP’s push for answers about the wildfire that swept through Denare Beach, Sask., in June.
More than 200 residences were destroyed as a result of the fire.
The provincial government is instead highlighting the independent review of the 2025 wildfire season that it announced earlier this week.
MNP is set to carry out the review. The government said the review will include opportunities for people directly impacted by the wildfires to share their experiences and perspectives, and the results will be made public.
McPhail said the government’s solution is not good enough.
“When the government chooses who gets to speak in a review, I think that will answer for itself,” he said.
The government’s decision is also not being warmly welcomed by residents of Denare Beach, some of whom were in the legislature on Tuesday.
Tasha Young, who lost her home and business in the fire, said she had faith the government would do the right thing after Premier Scott Moe stood in the legislature on Monday and apologized for not visiting Denare Beach sooner.
Now, she believes the government’s move to block a public inquiry is “insane.”
“Turning down the public inquiry kind of makes us wonder, so, why wouldn’t you want to give us those answers that everybody’s asking for?” she said.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe stood in the legislature to apologize to Denare Beach residents for waiting four months to visit the fire-ravaged community where more than 200 homes burned in early June.
Dustin Trumbley, another resident of Denare Beach, continued his call for Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod to resign from his role.
Trumbley said Moe should do the right thing and ask for McLeod’s resignation.
“I do believe he is not able to do his job or do his job correctly,” Trumbley said.
Rhonda Werbicki is another Denare Beach resident whose home burned down in the June wildfire.
Werbicki said she doesn’t understand why the government won’t listen to calls for an inquiry.
“If they really did everything they could to help us in the north, why wouldn’t you want a public inquiry? Why wouldn’t you want to prove us wrong?” Werbicki said.
