The Fort McMurray fire
The green and the black
CANADIANS have rallied round Fort
McMurray, the western city ravaged by a forest fire this month. They have sent
food, clothing and messages of support to the 90,000 people who fled their
homes. The Red Cross collected C$54m ($42) in a matter of days. Justin Trudeau,
Canada’s prime minister, promised federal help.
But the disaster has also exposed
divisions between oil producing Alberta, where more than 220,000 hectares
(550,000 acres) were engulfed by fire, and the rest of Canada. The rancour
appeared first on social media, with tweets such as “Welcome to climate change,
Alberta. Feel free to keep denying it.” “Scumbag” was one Albertan response.
The spat spread to newspapers and television. Asked at a news conference
whether he blamed climate change for the fire, Mr. Trudeau dodged the question.
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