Quebec will quickly approve the state of emergency which must be decreed unanimously by the municipal council of Saguenay, Monday evening, during a special meeting of the council, assured the Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault.
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“When there are good reasons, we accept states of emergency because it gives municipalities extraordinary means,” proclaimed the minister.
For example, in such situations, there is no need to go to tender to award a contract for works to improve efficiency.
“We can go through contracts by mutual agreement without going through resolutions of the municipal council,” explained the mayor of Saguenay, Julie Dufour.
“It gives you more power. More latitude. More speed for the people of the city of Saguenay to work in the field,” added the minister responsible for Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Andrée Laforest.
This decree is now valid for a period of five days, after which, the same procedure of resolution of Saguenay and approval of Quebec will have to be renewed.
That said, Saguenay is also calling for an improvement to the assistance program for disaster victims and evacuees. For Julie Dufour, $20 per day per person is insufficient, as is the limit of $260,000 in compensation for a residence and its land.
“20$ per day of compensation, in the current real estate context, it is almost unthinkable. In an extraordinary situation, it takes extraordinary measures, ”insisted Julie Dufour.
The evacuees were met in the afternoon by representatives of the Ministry of Public Security and the City of Saguenay. Aid programs pose many challenges.
“I don’t feel like going back to that house anymore when you know what’s going on below the house,” said one of them, Jean Potvin.
Another evacuee, Audrey Boyer, thinks the programs are right for her, but not everyone is. “I am thinking, among other things, of a hairdresser whose salon was in her house. I imagine it will be difficult,” said Ms. Boyer.
Others expressed the wish that the messages from Quebec, including Prime Minister François Legault, be clearer.
Visiting Sherbrooke, Mr. Legault said his thoughts were with the citizens of La Baie. He has shown a willingness to change aid programs.
“We will see if it is necessary to improve it,” declared the Prime Minister.
Andrée Laforest also seems open. “It is certain that we will adjust. There is no problem,” she said.
François Legault added that the experts are also looking for solutions on the ground. “We have people from the Ministry of Transport who are analyzing the soil.
Also see if there is work that can be done to save a certain number of residences,” he explained.
Same opening from Geneviève Guilbault. “I want to reassure people. We really are wholeheartedly with them. And Saguenay has been largely tested in the past,” she said.
The Prime Minister could come to La Baie. “If there is someone who is always on the ground, it is always Mr. Legault. He’s my boss and he does just that,” said Andrée Laforest.
In Ottawa, the Conservative MP for Chicoutimi-Le-Fjord, Richard Martel, met with Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair, to brief him on the situation in Saguenay.
With the state of emergency, the provincial government could go to the federal level, which also has disaster programs.
Richard Martel questioned Minister Blair in the House on Monday afternoon. “Will the minister be ready to cooperate if the Government of Quebec asks for his help,” asked the MP.
Minister Blair replied in the affirmative. “We stand ready to provide assistance if required by the citizens of Saguenay,” said the minister.
Reference-www.tvanouvelles.ca