Debates of August 17, 2007 (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, water is life. That is a very fundamental fact and a fact that is going to drive our political agendas more and more in the coming years. It is also the name of the major conference that is going to be held in Fort Smith next week: Water is Life.

There are people coming from across the North and across Canada to attend this particular meeting. It is being sponsored by the Akaitcho Government. I would like to commend them for doing that. I would also like to thank the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for their considerable help in arranging and helping to fund this particular conference, which I believe is going to be very important. One of the keynote speakers is going to be Mr. Justin Trudeau. I will be attending the first few days there. I also, as well, look forward to the words of wisdom that are going to be brought to us by Minister McLeod when he comes to address this conference on Wednesday.

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that across the land, governments are adjusting their political agendas slowly to recognize the impacts of the climate, of global warming and of our hugely growing population. But we have to do more. We are still taking, in many cases, baby steps. I will be encouraging all those attending this conference to look to not only describe the concern and care that we have to take with water, but also give recommendations for, as we know in a few short weeks there will be the 16th Assembly taking its place in this House. They will need advice and guidance of how to better balance economic and resource development with protection of the environment and healthy people. I am going to be encouraging all those attending to give us those recommendations to help advise us as we move forward to the 16th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause