‘Sovereignty comes with responsibility:’ U.S. lawmakers to Canada on wildfires

As wildfire smoke blankets parts of the country and spills into the United States, some U.S. lawmakers have sent a letter to the Canadian government saying that “sovereignty comes with responsibility.”

Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar penned a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, and reportedly sent it on Wednesday “demanding immediate action from the Canadian government,” a press release said.

“American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year,” the letter said.

“Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met.”

The reference to Canada’s sovereignty comes after repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to make Canada the “51st state” and after repeated threats to annex Greenland.

This isn’t the first time the representatives have complained about wildfire smoke coming from Canada with similar letters sent last year.

“Last year, Reps. James and Bergman each wrote letters to your government to raise the alarm about wildfire smoke pouring across our border from Canada into our communities,” the letter said.

“We write jointly this time because a year has passed, the season has come around again, and nothing has changed except that our patience has run out.”

Canada has been fighting some of the worst wildfires on record in recent years and has taken steps to increase the response.

In May, more fire-fighting aircraft was leased to combat this year’s wildfire season, but many communities are still being forced to evacuate as homes and livelihoods are destroyed.

Those who aren’t impacted by the fires directly are likely experiencing the smoke this week, with air quality alerts issued by Environment Canada in dozens of communities, including Toronto.

Much of the smoke seen through parts of Ontario and into parts of Michigan and surrounding areas is coming from severe wildfires raging in Northern Ontario.

“We are done accepting apologies in place of action. If Canada will not manage its forests to prevent these fires, the United States will look elsewhere, and act on our own, to protect our people,” the letter said.

“That means our own agencies exploring direct involvement in cross-border fuel reduction and firefighting capacity.”

Global News has sent requests for comment to both the Prime Minister’s Office and Global Affairs Canada, but did not receive a response by publication.