As flood-threatened communities north of Winnipeg face an "almost unprecedented" series of critical flood risks — ice jams, snowfalls, and a huge volume of water heading toward them from the U.S. — the Canadian military is prepared to act.
The defence department has put the military "on standby, ready to provide resources, if need be," Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan told journalists Thursday.
"At this point, obviously, the problems have not become so severe that it requires a major operation, but we're watching it very closely," Van Loan said.
But people bracing for the floodwaters were accusing the federal government Thursday of sitting on its hands while an emergency looms.
More "proactive" flood prevention is needed, said Mayor Steve Strang of St. Clements, 45 kilometres northeast of St. Andrews, where at least 10 homes have been flooded and another 40 are at risk....