Quebec has means to battle B.C. wildfires

Dear Editor: B.C. is burning. Many of Canada's firefighters are on the way to to help our exhausted fire fighters. What is Quebec sending?

What B.C. needs most from Quebec are the Canadair Bombardier 415 Super Scooper firefighting aircraft: These planes can operate on a lake or river with a water depth of 5 feet.

In one 12-second scoop, 6,137 litres can be loaded or 1,364 Imperial gallons or 1,578 U.S. gallons. Imagine how much more efficient this aircraft is compared to helicopters using their buckets.

In one hour, this aircraft could have covered every square foot of the town of Kaleden. Had this plane been used, the fire could have been extinguished in less than one hour.

These planes fly low to the water surface while scooping huge amounts of water into their holding tanks. For emergency situations, full water loads are not necessary, permitting the aircraft to do quick turnaround cycles.

Viking Air in Sidney, B.C., is licensed to build these water bombers: The question must be asked: Why haven't these planes been built in B.C. since Viking Air had the contract to build these aircraft?

The major question B.C. taxpayers should ask is this: Quebec will receive $11 billion in 2017 in transfer payments. Most of that money on a per capita basis will come from B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The nation is overwhelmed with forest fire emergencies. Why does the free ride for Quebec continue, like with free child care?

My solution and suggestion: The workers at Bombardier/Canadair assembly plants should work at least one day per month overtime for free claiming those hours worked, against their income tax returns.

Their highly paid jobs are guaranteed (thanks to many years of subsidization by the Canadian taxpayer) to build the firefighting aircraft B.C. and the rest of Canada needs, especially in times of emergencies, similar to what the people of BC today must deal with.

Forest fire emergencies in B.C. are more dangerous than any other provinces. In other parts of Canada, one may drive off in any direction to get away from fires. In B.C. the mountains limit emergency highway and secondary road escape routes.

Ernie Slump, Penticton