West Hants flood devastation ‘shocking to see’: Freeland

BROOKLYN, N.S. — As first responders continue to search for a missing youth in rural Nova Scotia, Canada’s deputy prime minister had a first-hand look at the region that was devastated by a torrential weekend rainstorm.

“I think that it is really shocking to see with your own eyes, to see the sort of sheer force and destruction, and to hear people’s stories of how sudden it was,” Chrystia Freeland said at an outdoor media scrum following her Thursday tour.

Freeland visited areas of West Hants that were among the hardest hit by the torrential rains July 21-22 — Ellershouse and the Salmon Hole Dam — before stopping to meet with first responders and thanking them for their efforts.

“Every single person I’ve talked to I’ve asked, ‘How are things going?’ and they say, ‘Oh, I’m fine, I’m just worried about my neighbours.’ That is so, so admirable,” said Freeland. “I think it’s a real example for the rest of the country and I just wish you didn’t have to show how great you are through these kinds of challenges.”

The search for four people who went missing during the early morning hours of July 22 elicited a wide-spread, inter-agency effort that, as of Thursday at suppertime, was still ongoing. Three bodies — a 52-year-old man and two children — have been discovered. A youth, said to be between the ages of 12 and 18, is still missing.

Both Kings-Hants MP Kody Blois and Freeland offered their condolences to the community.

“We’ve found three of those souls and we’re still searching for one more. … It breaks your heart,” Blois said.

Echoing Premier Tim Houston’s comments earlier in the week, Blois said there are no words that can properly express the tragedy the community — particularly the families of the loved ones — is feeling.

To the families, Blois said, “we’re with you, we’re thinking of you, and if there’s anything we can do, please let us know.”

Freeland said she’s heard of people who, instead of taking care of their own flooded house, are helping support their neighbours and are part of the search efforts. She said that’s admirable.

Help available

As for what help the federal government is providing, Freeland said its already participating in the emergency effort. She said the feds are providing “everything the community and the province are asking of us,” including support from the RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard, and the Canadian Armed Forces.

She said the priority is tackling the immediate concerns and then providing support for the rebuild.

“I think the focus right now should be, and needs to be, and what I’ve been hearing from the first responders is the disaster response,” she said. “But we are definitely going to be talking about, and working on, how we support everyone in the recovery.”

As for financial help for people who didn’t have insurance and need assistance immediately, Blois said there is a program in place.

“My understanding is there is up to $200,000 — this is provincially administered, federally funded,” said Blois, noting he’s been directing people looking for financial help due to the storm to contact their local MLA. In Hants West, that’s Melissa Sheehy-Richard.

“As Nova Scotians saw with Fiona, we do have a strong disaster relief system in Canada,” said Freeland. “Where there are disasters, the province comes to the federal government, we cover 90 per cent of the disaster relief.”

For more information on assistance, or to pick up an application form, stop by Access Nova Scotia centres or MLA offices or visit: https://beta.novascotia.ca/disaster-financial-assistance-storm-flooding.