Ed Komarnicki, Member of Parliament for Souris-Moose Mountain, commented on the severe amount of rain and flooding in southeast Saskatchewan as well as on the end of the session in Ottawa on June 23.
"I could hardly have imagined the amount of water, rain and devastation that would take place in Souris-Moose Mountain when I left for Ottawa," said Komarnicki. "Words can scarcely describe the magnitude by which people's lives and properties have been impacted by the flooding."
"To everyone affected, I certainly want you to know that I appreciate the fact that you have gone through much, that a lot of stress and hurt has come your way and that you have suffered greatly. But even a situation such as this must be overcome. Working together with the province we will be there for farmers and for those who have lost homes or suffered damages. Our Government has always been there for farmers and will continue to be there. We have been working closely with the provinces and industry to assess the impacts and to determine what producers need in order to deal with the situation."
Komarnicki explained that the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) is available to homeowners and others who are suffering damages as a result of the flooding. It is administered by the province and the cost is shared by the federal and provincial governments. As required, changes have been made to make the program more effective and with better payouts.
"The Premier of Saskatchewan has been in direct contact with the Prime Minister," said Komarnicki, "and I'm sure as the situation continues to unfold appropriate adjustments will be made, especially with an eye to the future to ensure that there is national involvement in disaster mitigation strategy."
"As events unfolded it became obvious the local officials both in the RM's, towns and cities have stepped up to the challenge, as did the many volunteers to make the circumstances more bearable," said Komarnicki.
"I have spoken directly with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Agriculture regarding the present situation and they are keenly aware of its effects on the residents of Souris-Moose Mountain. They realize we need to ensure that existing programs work, that improvements need to be made where necessary and that the issue of mitigation needs to be addressed."
