Conservative MP calls on Ottawa to do more on wildfires, criticizes forest entry ban

OTTAWA - Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner says the federal government needs to do more to fight Canada's devastating forest fires.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Ottawa, the Alberta MP accused Ottawa of "inaction" on wildfires. She also blamed that lack of action for new measures restricting activities in the forests of two provinces — even though those bans were imposed by the provinces themselves.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick last week banned hiking, fishing, camping and the use of vehicles in its forests in response to the heightened wildfire risk.

Rempel Garner said that while she understands the fear Maritimers feel, restricting individuals' movements is "not right."

"Whenever there's a major crisis, what the Liberal government has done by their inaction has conditioned