The House of Commons set up a committee to investigate the causes of the blaze in September
“Multiple members of our caucus are engaged on the file,” a senior government official told the National Post. “We’ll continue to coordinate recovery efforts with provincial and local officials.”
He said at the time that this was an important role for him to take on as the province’s lone federal minister.
“And as the Alberta minister, it’s really important that I’m able to do that work with a number of ministers at the provincial level so we can get the work done,” Boissonnault told reporters in Ottawa.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said on Wednesday he was sad to see Boissonnault step away from the role.
“We are disappointed to be losing Minister Boissonnault as federal ministerial lead for Jasper recovery,” wrote Ireland in an email. “He immersed himself in our ongoing challenges and was an engaged, active, and an effective advocate on our behalf.”
The Opposition Conservatives weren’t quite as concerned about the void created by Boissonnault’s departure.
“The Trudeau government was repeatedly warned but allowed Jasper to go up in flames after years of ignoring obvious severe fire risks. After nearly a decade of neglect, it doesn’t matter which Liberal is selected to replace Trudeau’s fake advisor,” said Conservative emergency affairs critic Dane Lloyd on Wednesday.
Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver, the province’s lead on Jasper, declined to comment on Boissonnaut’s departure.
Boissonnault’s departure from the cabinet working group on Jasper leaves six remaining members, including Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Minister for Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan.
Guilbeault is also the minister responsible for Parks Canada.
Liberal officials wouldn’t say what role Boissonnault will have on the Jasper file as a rank-and-file member of the party’s caucus.
The prime minister said in a Wednesday statement that veterans affairs minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor would temporarily take on Boissonnault’s responsibilities as employment minister and minister responsible for official languages.
Petitpas Taylor’s office told the National Post on Thursday that she won’t be taking on the role of ministerial lead for Jasper.
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