Military base fire comes days before Alberta referendumpublished at 18:38 BST
18:38 BST
Jessica Murphy
Canada digital editor
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
This would be a challenging moment for any prime minister. For Mark Carney, this comes at an especially delicate time politically in Alberta.
On Monday, Albertans will vote in a referendum on whether to pursue independence – on of the most significant challenges to Canadian unity in decades.
Carney just now made no mention of that vote – it would not have been the place.
But he made clear that Canada as a whole would be there for the wounded and the families of all the victims, many of whom will hail from that western province, just like Carney.
“In Canada, we take care of each other,” he said in his brief remarks.
He also highlighted the close collaboration between the federal government and the provincial government in the immediate response to the crisis.
It is also a significant blow to a military that is only now beginning to receive significant government support after decades of underfunding.
Ottawa is funneling in billions to shore up old equipment, boost pay and get the armed forces up to Nato spending compliance.
It will now face scrutiny over how it handled this tragedy – one Carney called “one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime”.