Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, has seen first-hand the destruction caused by last month’s wildfire in Fort McMurray, stopping in Beacon Hill in an effort to understand the impact and scope of the damages.
Governor General David Johnston and Mayor Melissa Blake stood on the tarmac to greet the Countess, wife of Prince Edward, upon her arrival at the Executive Flight Centre.
Johnston had arrived moments earlier after visiting Fort McKay and stood talking with Blake and Councillor Keith McGrath, commenting on the beauty of our community and talking about where each of them had grown up.
Blake, Johnston and Sophie boarded a city bus with Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman for a tour through the Beacon Hill. On board were Chris Graham with Regional Emergency Services and Fire Chief Darby Allen.
Allen sat with Sophie and Johnston and told them about the ferocity and unpredictability of the fire, pointing out specifically challenging areas as the bus passed those spots, explaining how ‘The Beast’ broke all the rules previously believed about wildfires.
At the destroyed neighbourhood of Beacon Hill, Sophie got off the bus and held onto a fence with her fingers while gazing at the devastation. Sophie asked about what supports are available to address the “emotional fallout” experienced by those whose homes were lost. She asked Blake what was being done to “cradle” the people of our community.
Blake explained about the mental health services available in early days at the information centres and now at the AHS Queen Street location.
The next stop of the tour was at MacDonald Island where several residents waited outside with the Union Jack and a Canadian Flag hanging across the barriers. Some greeted Sophie thanking her for coming, expressing that it was an honour to have her here while one woman asked her to sign her Canadian Flag.
Sophie paused and took a photo with her and the woman, Chantal Boutin, explained the flag was recovered from the outside of her home which was destroyed in the fire.
“My husband and I always have a flag on the front of the house, we are Canadian,” she told MyMcMurray. “When I saw that our house was burnt to the ground, I saw the flag and the flag gave me hope.”
Breaking with tradition and protocol, Sophie happily autographed Boutin’s flag.
Inside a ballroom at Shell Place firefighters, RCMP officers, Red Cross volunteers, long-term care residents, local politicians, and other first responders waited to greet Sophie and Johnston.
“Before I begin formal remarks, let me say what a wonderful feeling I have as I see these red coats here and I see the other people in uniform here and I think of the people in uniform who have responded and behaved with such an extraordinary courage in the past five or six weeks,” said Johnston.
“John Kennedy once defined courage as grace under pressure. Imagine the kind of grace that has been shown here in the last five weeks. When I look at the red coats here, these marvelous men and women, our Mounties trained in Regina,” he said. “One of the most memorable photographs I’ve ever seen was in the depot in Regina where they train.
“It’s a photograph of a terrible tragedy occurring in a school, a mad assassin is in a school with some long guns and some ammunition, firing away and the students, staff, teachers, are rushing pell-mell out the front entrance of the school, seeking safety wherever they can find it. And at the far corner of the photograph, there’s a person who I call the ‘wrong-way gal’ or the ‘wrong-way guy.’ It’s a person in uniform, the ‘wrong-way person’ heading to confront the danger. And that’s what our people in uniform do.
“When we are faced with danger, they go the wrong way, they go and face it head on and, my, have they ever done it in a remarkable fashion in the last five or six weeks in this community and we salute them for it,” he said.
“All of Canada, and people around the world, watched in shock as the wildfires spread. And the only thing we took comfort in were the stories of people pulling together and helping each other, and bravely trying to save the city,” said Johnston. “We took comfort in and were inspired by your stories—by your bravery, your compassion, your tireless fight in defence of this city. We were inspired, and we remain inspired—because your work goes on.”
Johnston then presented to the first responders, emergency services, the community, and the volunteers, the Governor General’s Commendation for Outstanding Service.
Afterward he and Sophie greeted Red Cross volunteers, RCMP officers and firefighters.
From there, the Governor General and Sophie headed to the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation, southeast of the city. Evacuees were able to stop for food, water and gas there when they fled the fire.
The community was also presented with a Commendation for outstanding service for role in keeping others safe, for opening their community to evacuees, and for then ensuring their community made it to safety fleeing the wildfire.
Residents of the First Nation performed a traditional song and dance for the visitors. Elder Julie Cheecham presented Johnston with a moose hide and a fur-trimmed pair of mittens, and gave Sophie a beaded pair of moose hide slippers.
Residents had to flee their homes when flames whipped by high winds raced through the city May 3. About 2,400 houses and other buildings – about 10 per cent of the city – were destroyed in the blaze.
It’s not the first time royals have visited a fire-ravaged Alberta town. Five years ago, newlyweds Prince William and Kate lifted spirits when they visited Slave Lake, Alta., where a wildfire destroyed one-third of the community.
Friday was the fourth and last day of Prince Edward and Sophie’s visit to Canada. They arrived in Toronto on Tuesday and made a quick visit to Winnipeg before heading to Saskatchewan.
Sophie dedicated a park in Edmonton on Friday before she flew to Fort McMurray, while Edward handed out the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, named after his father, to young people in Calgary.
The royal couple’s visit to Canada was to conclude with a gala reception at the National Music Centre in Calgary.
