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Support my MLA and wildfire victims

Provincial and federal governments should be ashamed of how they’re treat wildfire victims
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Editor,

This is open letter to Premier John Horgan.

Re: Discrimination against certain wildfire victims & capital gains tax on burned logged timber.

My MLA [Cariboo-Chilcotin] Donna Barnett has been working for several months now trying resolve wildfire victim issues, and also trying to get us some financial assistance, which unfortunately so far hasn’t come from our current government.

I would hope other interested British Columbia MLA’s would get on board support her efforts

B.C. wildfire victim’s, aren’t getting the financial assistance they require unless the wildfire losses involve permanent residences/property.

Like my wife and I, some property owners are being told they “don’t qualify” for any financial assistance because their losses involve recreational land or investment property, etc.

I’m sure a number of other B.C. MLA’s must have property owners in their jurisdictions that are also struggling with similar losses as ours who have been denied any help by the B.C. government, federal government and the Red Cross.

However, if you don’t already know about how some wildfire victims are being treated, please take the time to read my letter and you will get a better understanding about how some of us will be up against a financial brick wall if we continue to be refused help by the Wildfire Victims Financial Assistance Recovery Program.

That title really should be changed if it doesn’t include all BC wildfire victims!

As far as I’m concerned, what our governments are doing is a provincial and federal disgrace, not to mention unfair, unjust and discriminatory.

The ultimate kick in the guts for some of us is a federal government that wants us to pay a capital gains tax on burned timber we have no choice but to log off before the bugs destroy what’s left of it.

What this all may be coming down to is for every so-called “unqualified” B.C. wildfire victim to sign onto a class action suit against the B.C Government and the BC Wildfire Service.

It is no secret that the vast destruction caused by the 2017 B.C. wildfires was in large due to mismanagement, inadequate fire guards and back burns that should not have taken place.

That information has come straight from machine operators and firefighters who worked on various wildfires in B.C.

I’m sure there would be more than enough of these people that could be summons to provide their professional opinion regarding where huge mistakes were made that needlessly caused the destruction of private property.

Any support you can provide wildfire victims that aren’t getting the help they need will no doubt be appreciated, and if you aren’t already on board with my MLA trying to turn some of this mess around, please do so.

I’m perfectly fine with having this e-mail and my letter/s circulated to everyone and anyone interested including the Canadian media regarding how certain wildfire victims are being treated by our provincial and federal governments of the day.

Larry Badke

100 Mile House