The 400 or so refugees from Northern Saskatchewan wildfires have returned to their homes. Let’s breathe a collective sigh of relief on their behalf.
It is difficult to try to put oneself in their position. To have your entire life put into limbo and to not know day to day when your life is going to return to anything resembling normalcy must be extremely trying.
The operation wasn’t all sunshine and roses according to North Battleford City Councillor Ray Fox. At city council Monday, Fox talked about a breakdown in communication among agencies overseeing the care of the evacuees creating problems.
Fox also alluded to a lack of cultural understanding. He has been promised an evaluation of the operation and perhaps such issues can be avoided if the need arises for the Battlefords to take in evacuees in the future.
When that evaluation is undertaken the cultural divide would be an important one to take into consideration.
These were northern people. Many live in isolated communities where they enjoy a lifestyle completely different from that of their southern neighbours. Their food is different and their daily routines are different. And for certain their lives involve a whole lot more solitude and silence than they are going to find cooped up in hotel rooms or emergency shelters. Sensitivity and understanding of factors of that nature would go a long way to making evacuees more comfortable.
It wasn’t all roses, but it wasn’t all bad either. Councillor Ryan Bater praised the hospitality industry workers for their all out effort during the operation. He described these people as working around the clock to meet the needs of the evacuees.
Mayor Ian Hamilton also praised the efforts of the agencies who facilitated the operation.
And, as we share the relief of those who have returned home, let’s not forget to be thankful. There are people in the world who live their entire lives as refugees, with more added to the ranks daily. In Canada, we aren’t perfect, but folks can still go home when the crisis is over.
