The federal government was making the rounds Wednesday as part of housing announcements connected to wildfire rebuilds on Indigenous territory in the region.
Federal Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hadju was on-hand along side Kukpi7 James Tomma on the Squilax Nation on Wednesday afternoon, where a new subdivision has been unveiled following last year’s devastating Bush Creek East fire.
Tomma admits it’s been a struggle for him personally.
“I decided, I better take a look at this new subdivision,” said Tomma as part of the announcement. “I parked just right over here, and I looked down, and I started smiling.”
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Patty Hajdu was in Lytton to meet with members of the Lytton First Nation.
“I got a tour to see the replacement of many of the on-reserve units…some of the temporary housing, as well as some of the new, additional housing.”
Hajdu — speaking to Radio NL after-the-fact — was in Lytton to announce $1.3 million to help rebuild 20 homes destroyed on the Lytton First Nation during the 2021 fire there.