Herbert Nakimayak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last sitting I spoke about shoreline erosion in the Community of Tuktoyaktuk. Mr. Speaker, the climate is changing on a global scale with profound effects on local marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems across all continents. Moreover, although most regions of the world will be affected by these global processes, some of the areas of types of ecosystems such as the Arctic will experience effects of climate change more dramatically.

Mr. Speaker, as the Arctic melts the sea level is rising, the loss of our ice is challenging our communities...

Mr. Speaker, my third question to the Minister is: given the effort is aimed at completing a planning study only, what can be done beyond this project to actually protect the shoreline and residents in the future?

No further questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to give a shout-out to a youth from Nunakput, Ms. Lanita Thrasher. Mr. Speaker, Lanita is an Inuvialuit from Paulatuk who went to flight school in Red Deer and Lethbridge. Lanita spent some years in Paulatuk working at the health center as a Community Health Representative to save money for flight school, and decided to go back into aviation. As the saying goes, "once you have tasted flight you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward".

Mr. Speaker, Lanita now works for Kenn Borek Air, Aklak Air's partner. She decided that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My colleague here had asked a couple of questions that I'd had earlier, but just going back to the Mangilaluk School renovation and addition, the midlife retrofit and an addition of 1,000 square metres of space, just a question to the plans and how many additional classrooms will that 1,000 square metres offer for junior kindergarten to high school students? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the Darnley Bay Marine Protected Area and my questions are for the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: has the GNWT participated in any capacity on consultations for the Darnley Bay Marine Protected Area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister of ENR, is there anything more the GNWT can do to help advance its priority on behalf of the people of Nunakput and the Northwest Territories and urge Canada to keep its commitment to protect ten per cent of marine areas over the next four years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognizing that the GNWT does not have jurisdiction over the offshore, how much influence do we have as a government on recommending areas for protection?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talk about the Darnley Bay marine protected area. Mr. Speaker the people in Paulatuk are awaiting a creation of a marine protected area near their shores. Darnley Bay protected area, north of Paulatuk, is proposed to be 2,361 square kilometres, almost half the size of PEI. It would protect species such as polar bears, beluga whales, ringed seals, bearded seals, and important arctic char and migratory bird habitats. Species including octopus, crab, shrimp, krill, cod, herring, capon, and rare kelp beds also contribute to the vast ecological diversity...

Mr. Speaker, recognizing that all ecosystems are connected, would the GNWT be involved in the creation of a management plan for the new protected area designated for Darnley Bay?