ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been over five months since most of Enterprise was destroyed by wildfires, and the majority of residents have still not been able to return.
SA国际影视传媒淓verybodySA国际影视传媒檚 still displaced. People are all over,SA国际影视传媒� said the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 former senior administrative officer Tammy Neal, who has been living at a business property outside town since her home was razed by the August fires.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think a lot of people are feeling hopeless. I know of four people who have contemplated suicide, and that comes from hopelessness, doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 it?SA国际影视传媒�
Neal SA国际影视传媒渓ost everythingSA国际影视传媒� in the fire. SA国际影视传媒淣othing was salvaged,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Her home was insured, but collecting an insurance payout in hopes of rebuilding has been a SA国际影视传媒渟low process,SA国际影视传媒� and the lack of progress has been discouraging, particularly after an October visit from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
SA国际影视传媒淧rime Minister Trudeau looked me in the face and said, SA国际影视传媒榊ou will not be forgotten. We will not forget you guys,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o far, I feel forgotten.SA国际影视传媒�
Neal admitted she might not be completely up to date on what the federal government is doing to help Enterprise, but claimed thatSA国际影视传媒檚 because the hamlet office, including current senior administrative officer (SAO) Blair Porter and Mayor Michael St. Amour, have failed to keep residents in the loop.
SA国际影视传媒淚 personally SA国际影视传媒� along with some other residents SA国际影视传媒� am not happy with the hamlet office or the council,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e basically been forgotten. We havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been consulted. We havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been given updates.
SA国际影视传媒淲hy are they not reaching out to us and talking to us and keeping us up to date and having a little compassion? They need to start reaching out to the people that lost their homes and asking questions and taking things seriously.SA国际影视传媒�
Neal is indeed not alone in her concerns about a lack of communication from local leaders.
Winnie Cadieux, a former Enterprise mayor who lost both her home and business in August, shares that sentiment.
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e the ones that are supposed to be advocating for our community to rebuild, for us getting back there, for us to have some semblance of our lives back and have our homes back,SA国际影视传媒� Cadieux said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 feel that theySA国际影视传媒檙e advocating in a positive, healthy way. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e not letting us know.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were lucky enough to meet the prime minister, and he was very gracious and spoke with all of us,SA国际影视传媒� she added. SA国际影视传媒淎nd yes, there have been some encouraging things coming from [the federal government], they have sent money to the GNWT, but our mayor kind of took a leadership role in that, and was the one that was directly communicating with the federal government, and I believe that heSA国际影视传媒檚 not communicating that back effectively to us.
SA国际影视传媒淲e really donSA国际影视传媒檛 know whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on.SA国际影视传媒�
Different views on MACA
Porter, who worked as EnterpriseSA国际影视传媒檚 fire chief before taking up the mantle as SAO, has a different perspective on things.
He admitted that his office doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 SA国际影视传媒渉ave the time to phone everybody and let everybody know exactly whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on,SA国际影视传媒� but said his staff are making efforts to keep people updated with social media posts and a quarterly newsletter, and they have also encouraged residents to send questions to info@enterprise-nt.ca SA国际影视传媒� an email account he said is monitored daily.
He also contended that his office is not in a position to answer some of the questions people have, and that questions should instead be directed to Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), a GNWT department that has been helping to rebuild Enterprise and get residents back into homes.
SA国际影视传媒淯sually, weSA国际影视传媒檙e the ones that do deal with things that happen in Enterprise, but when it comes to the cleanup, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 MACASA国际影视传媒檚 deal,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e footing the bill, so theySA国际影视传媒檙e dealing with it, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e the ones that are communicating SA国际影视传媒� or supposed to be SA国际影视传媒� with the residents.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 get that [residents] are frustrated with a lack of communication. We donSA国际影视传媒檛 have any answers for them, which is unfortunate, but at the same time, if MACA is the one thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be making the decisions, they should be the ones that are communicating those decisions to the public.
SA国际影视传媒淚n fact, my staff has expressed the frustration that MACA has been expecting us to do their job.SA国际影视传媒�
While Neal has been disappointed with a lack of communication from the hamlet office, she does not believe thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lack of communication from MACA, who she said has been providing SA国际影视传媒渁 lot of support.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檝e been helpful,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think theySA国际影视传媒檝e gone overboard in listening to us complain.SA国际影视传媒�
Cadieux, who has been working closely with MACA because her home was uninsured, shares that perspective, and has found the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒減athfinderSA国际影视传媒� especially helpful.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing a better job [than the hamlet office] for sure,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 mean, they keep in touch. We have weekly reports from them. The pathfinder is there when you want to speak with him. He has an office in Enterprise. He has a phone number and email. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 always willing to talk and help and do as much as he can to inform you of what papers need to be filled out and whatnot.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 believe that the GNWT is doing the best they can, too. I mean, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a totally unprecedented event, so youSA国际影视传媒檝e got to give them credit for what they have been doing.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒楳oving forwardSA国际影视传媒�
Porter is one of what he estimates is about 25 of some 100 Enterprise residents who have been able to return to the community since the fire.
He said there are still days when he struggles to believe whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happened to the community. One of the most jarring changes, he said, is the lack of trees. Before August, the foliage was thick, and hid the view of the railroad that cuts through town, but since the disaster, the trains that roll through can be seen SA国际影视传媒渃lear as day, because all the trees are burned.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e had moments where you remember what it was like, and then you take a look across town and itSA国际影视传媒檚 just nothing like what it was before,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he shock has kind of worn off, but thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still times where it kind of hits home again.SA国际影视传媒�
Faced with the destruction of Enterprise every day, the SAO said his priority is SA国际影视传媒渕oving ahead.SA国际影视传媒�
That mission includes plans to launch a local housing corporation, and create a new residential and commercial development on hamlet land, though the latter project is unlikely to be completed this year.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have some land that we are planning on developing this year, and hopefully, if this all works out, weSA国际影视传媒檒l be able to put some houses on there,SA国际影视传媒� he explained. SA国际影视传媒淓ven if [people] canSA国际影视传媒檛 buy it, they can rent it, they can live here.SA国际影视传媒�
PorterSA国际影视传媒檚 plans will not encourage everyone.
Neal heard about the potential new development in Enterprise, but expressed concern that interested contractors only SA国际影视传媒渨ant to benefit from our loss.SA国际影视传媒�
Cadieux, meanwhile, stated she will be moderating her optimism as it pertains to moving back to Enterprise.
SA国际影视传媒淲e canSA国际影视传媒檛 say when weSA国际影视传媒檒l move back, or what it will be like, because there are so many questions to be answered yet,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Enterprise is currently in the middle of a municipal election, which is set to end on Jan. 13.
Dehcho MLA Sheryl Yakeleya could not be reached for comment.
