Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett stood in the legislature Thursday during question period asking Health Minister Adrian Dix if a Lone Butte wildfire evacuee will have to pay a $20,000 bill for emergency airfare.
“The fires have caused enough hardship on this family,” said Barnett.
“Will he pay this $20,000 ambulance bill?”
Dix responded that he is reviewing the case and looks forward to getting back in touch with the family.
“The response I have received and Mr. Dunst has received is that the Ministry will not pay this outrageous bill and help this family,” said Barnett.
“I sincerely hope that at the end of the day this is a resolution that will satisfy these seniors who are in dire straits and stressed to the limits.”
Forced to evacuate due to this past summer’s wildfires, 90-year-old Rudolph Dunst and his 87-year-old wife found accommodation in Whitehorse.
While there Dunst was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with a heart condition that required a procedure. As it could not be performed in Whitehorse he was airlifted to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver via Yukon Air.
“The impact of the fire was so significant in both specific cases and in the cases of others that we haven’t seen the full consequences of yet in health terms,” said Dix.
“We have to be conscious of that and work on that, and I think people in Interior Health are doing that. I know I’m very concerned with that and I’m going back to the region, again and again, to ensure that services are there.”