Pierre Poilievre calls for 'utmost generosity' toward CFB Wainwright after deadly fire

Pierre Poilievre, federal Conservative leader and MP for Battle River—Crowfoot, visited Wainwright on Sunday outside the town hall to address the community following Saturday's deadly fire at CFB Wainwright.

Speaking to gathered media, Poilievre described the soldiers caught in the blaze as "people who ran towards rather than away from the danger and are now paying a cruel price, fighting for their lives in hospitals."

He called for a response befitting the sacrifice. "We're well known for wanting to count every penny the government spends but in this case, we need to show the utmost generosity to the base, its members, its families," Poilievre said. "More than ever, we need to remember the tremendous men and women who carry on the tradition of the armed forces, who sacrifice everything for all of us."

Poilievre said Canadians should pay tribute to the victims on Remembrance Day, less than a month away, and committed to briefing the Liberal government on the community's needs.

Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh, present at the town hall, praised the emergency responders and local hospital staff who handled Saturday night as a mass casualty event. "Those of you who had a chance to stand outside those doors to see the work that goes on inside, it'll be praised for years," Pugh said. "When we speak that there are angels among us, you're witnessing it."