UCP urges patience as hailstorm victims seek emergency aid
The UCP government urged patience Wednesday from victims of a savage hailstorm who are pleading for emergency relief from the province.
And one Calgary MLA accused the NDP of playing politics with the aftermath of the June 13 hail and rain onslaught that left thousands of homes and vehicles severely damaged and flooded.
“I’m deeply disappointed he’s decided to politicize this event,” Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney said in the legislature in response to criticism from Calgary-mccall NDP MLA Irfan Sabir.
Sabir on Tuesday accused the UCP of turning their backs on northeast Calgary residents.
“This government cares deeply ... this member is using this opportunity to promote his political profile.”
She said MLAS are working with affected residents, adding that technically assessing the damage to determine a possible response “takes a very long time.”
But that didn’t stop other NDP MLAS from attacking the government’s response to the storm damage the City of Calgary says will likely exceed $1 billion.
Lethbridge-west MLA Shannon Phillips accused the government of siding with large insurance companies that have rung up huge profits recently.
“Many (storm victims) are left with nothing because insurance companies have refused their claims,” she said.
“When will they side with the residents of northeast Calgary rather than their big insurance friends?”
Sabir said the government’s “inaction is adding to people’s stress,” and questioned why aid isn’t flowing as quickly to northeast Calgary as it did to flood and fire-ravaged High River and Fort Mcmurray.
Finance Minister Travis Toews insisted the government is “reaching out to insurance companies” to ensure they meet their obligations to storm victims.
That heated debate came three days after a letter signed by several northeast Calgary community associations and cultural groups was sent to Premier Jason Kenney, urging the province to declare the situation a natural disaster that would free up federal emergency funds.
City officials also say they’re assessing criteria that could see the release of provincial disaster funds.
Many in the hardest-hit area of the city say their insurance covers less than half of damage costs that often reach or exceed $20,000 at a time of high unemployment due to the COVID-19 economic lockdown.
A northeast community organizer behind the letter to the premier said more needs to be done quickly to ensure home repairs are financed and completed.
“What patience do we need to have — we’re expecting more hailstorms to come,” said Khalil Karbani, whose property sustained thousands of dollars in damage.
He said the NDP’S Sabir “is right to push the government, but we want to calmly tell them people are hurting. We just need them to say the words ‘natural disaster,’ though that’s only a start.”
He said community members are hoping to meet with government officials in Calgary this weekend.
In the meantime, Gofundme pages and Facebook groups have sprung up to collect money for people who can least afford to repair the damage inflicted by the torrential rain and biggest hailstones ever recorded in Calgary.
Many
(storm victims) are left with nothing because insurance companies have refused their claims.