Facing Alberta's greatest disaster ever, Premier Rachel Notley deserves praise for her response to the ongoing wildfire tragedy in Fort McMurray.
The calamity came on the week of the first anniversary of her NDP party's stunning provincial election victory, a year that has already seen breathtaking changes across the provincial landscape, many of those forced by the battering of the province's oil-based economy.
Yes, there have been missteps, particularly on the communications front, but Notley, whether anyone likes her party's policies or not, has pushed through with an admirable, calm and steely resolve. Not once has there been a sign of panic.
And this was never more evident than over the past week during the crisis in Fort McMurray, a municipality turned into ruins, its 88,000 residents evacuated and losing everything they owned, and the region's oilsands-based economy left in tatters.
To watch the faces of good, hardworking citizens turn to despair when being forced to leave the community they loved was heartbreaking. Especially so when the tragic news came of two teens killed in a highway crash while fleeing the inferno.
The rest of the displaced have been safely evacuated to urban centres in the south, due to ongoing heroism of first responders, the kindness and generosity of all citizens wanting to help, and Notley's crisis leadership -- a different kind of resolve that moved from stoicism to one of determined hard work and empathy for the hurting and frightened citizens of Fort McMurray.
The entire package – from Notley's inspired action to countless citizens stepping up to help in any way they could for the displaced of Fort McMurray, was a message to the nation and a worldwide audience that everyone in this great province are all in this together, that collectively they are Alberta Strong.
And while support continues to come from every corner of the nation and beyond, we have to wonder about the leadership from Ottawa.
Yes, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken about the federal government's support for Fort McMurray's displaced, including matching donations to the Canadian Red Cross and providing air support and thousands of emergency cots for evacuees, but he insists a visit to Alberta should be on hold to allow emergency responders to do their work.
In the meantime, Rona Ambrose, the interim Conservative Party leader, and yes, an Alberta MP, did find time to come back to her province following passionate speeches of support by all party leaders last week in the House of Commons. She was here flipping pancakes at an Edmonton fundraiser and talking to evacuees, and her one-on-one support to displaced citizens no doubt raised the spirits of each one.
Trudeau would do well to reassess his decision. All Albertans are shocked by this wildfire disaster. And while they have proven to the world that there is nothing more resilient than an Albertan facing adversity, they too want to look to their leaders for not only guidance and direction but for the support to just carry on – even if it's just a simple appearance, a smile or a few words of reassurance. It's called inspired leadership.
Notley has passed her ultimate test for Albertans. Trudeau has yet to deliver.
