Backgrounder

July 25, 2013

Alberta Liberals have compiled a chronology of recent disaster mitigation discussions and reports: January 2002: Towards a National Disaster Mitigation Strategy Discussion Paper July 2004: Council of the Federation meeting where Premiers agreed to direct their Ministers to work with the federal government to develop a coordinated strategy for emergency response and readiness for Canada, respecting provincial and territorial laws and plans already in place January 2005: FPT Ministers responsible for emergency management decided to work together to improve and enhance the emergency response framework in order to harmonize the federal system so that it complements each provincial and territorial system November 2006: Provincial Flood Mitigation Report (Groeneveld Report) January 2007: FPT Ministers responsible for emergency management discuss a national public alerting system, disaster mitigation, and improvements to the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) o Approved An Emergency Management Framework for Canada January 2008: FPT Ministers responsible for emergency management met to strengthen emergency preparedness and to re-affirm their commitment to a safer Canada o Announced a number of measures on critical infrastructure, public alerting and disaster mitigation (such as building dykes in flood-prone areas) to improve Canadas emergency management system. Launched Canadas National Disaster Mitigation Strategy, which contained the following section on accountability: Accountability means adherence to national guidelines, regular reporting, and audit or review by the next highest oversight organization. Citizens expect their governments to work together collaboratively, and to be accountable for public spending and the results achieved through public investments.

2010/2011: KPMG Report on the Southern Alberta Disaster Recovery Program following the Medicine Hat flood (still unreleased) January 2011: Second edition of An Emergency Management Framework for Canada o Focused on four main responsibilities: Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

June 2011: Western Premiers call for a Canada-wide disaster mitigation program and agricultural recovery program o o Premiers strongly encouraged the federal government to work with all provinces and territories to quickly develop a new long-term Canada-wide disaster mitigation program Urged the federal government to consider supporting special compensation programming in light of the unique circumstances and magnitude of the 2011 floods and forest fires.

November 2012: Lesser Slave Lake Regional Urban Interface Wildfire Lessons Learned (KPMG report) July 2013: Premier Redford calls for nationwide strategy to prevent future disasters -30-

For more information, contact:

Amy McBain, Director of Communications Tel: 780.427.7438. Cell: 780.904.5430. Fax: 780.427.3697. e-mail: amy.mcbain@assembly.ab.ca