Feds say Jasper’s efforts are still a priority after Boissonneau’s departure

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OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government has yet to appoint a new person in charge of the Jasper case following Alberta MP Randy Boissonnault’s resignation from cabinet, but says rebuilding the fire-ravaged Alberta city remains a top priority.

“Several members of our caucus are involved in this matter,” a senior government official told the National Post. “We will continue to coordinate recovery efforts with provincial and local authorities.”

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Boissonneau, the only Albertan in Trudeau’s cabinet until Wednesday, was appointed Jasper minister in October.

He said then that he would take on an important role as the province’s only federal minister.

“And as the minister of Alberta, it’s very important that I can do this work with a number of ministers at the provincial level so that we can get the job done,” Boissonnault told reporters in Ottawa.

Boissonneault was appointed to lead a cabinet-level task force on Jasper, which subsequently oversaw the distribution of more than $20 million in federal aid to the municipality.

Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said Wednesday he was sad to see Boissonnault leave the position.

“We are disappointed to lose Minister Boissonnault as the federal minister’s lead on Jasper’s recovery efforts,” Ireland wrote in an email. “He immersed himself in solving our current problems and was an engaged, active and effective advocate for our interests.”

Opposition conservatives were not so concerned about the void created Departure of Boissonneau.

“The Trudeau government was warned repeatedly, but it allowed Jasper to burn after years of ignoring the obvious serious fire risks. After nearly a decade of neglect, it doesn’t matter which Liberal is chosen to replace Trudeau’s fake adviser,” Conservative emergency management critic Dane Lloyd said Wednesday.

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Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Rick McIver, Jasper’s provincial leader, declined to comment on Boissonnault’s departure.

The city of Jasper lost a third of its buildings in July after a wildfire that started in a nearby federal park spread across the Columbia River, forcing about 25,000 local residents to flee the area.

The disaster came after experts had warned for years of the possibility of a “catastrophic fire” in the area, raising several questions about the federal government’s forest management practices, including its failure to remove thousands of dead trees destroyed by pine beetles from the area.

In September the House of Commons set up a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.

Boissonneau’s departure leaves the cabinet working group on Jasper with six members, including Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault, Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Guilbault is also the minister responsible for Parks Canada.

Liberal officials have not said what role Boissonneau will play in the Jasper case as a rank-and-file member of the party caucus.

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The Prime Minister said in a statement on Wednesday that the Minister of Veterans Affairs Ginette Petitpas Taylor will temporarily take over Boissonnault’s duties as employment minister and minister responsible for official languages.

Petitpas Taylor’s office told the National Post on Thursday that she will not take on the role of Jasper’s chief minister.

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