Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we move into the last session of the 16th Legislative Assembly, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight some of the significant progress this Legislature has made toward achieving its goal of an environment that will sustain present and future generations.

During the past four years we developed a Water Stewardship Strategy and Action Plan for the Northwest Territories. The strategy has been acclaimed by water managers and experts from around the world. Our focus must now shift from planning to implementation. This will include a number of initiatives such as negotiating transboundary water agreements with neighbouring jurisdictions, establishing community-based water monitoring programs, and developing community source-water protection plans in the NWT.

All NWT residents and Members of this Legislature can be very proud of the work we have collectively done to ensure our waters will remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time.

We have developed a new Greenhouse Gas Strategy for the Northwest Territories that will be tabled later today.

The 2011-2015 strategy sets out actions governments, communities, and industry can take to control and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels in the next five years. The Joint Climate Change Committee, made up of Members of Cabinet and Regular Members, was instrumental in guiding our work to meet the challenges and impacts of global climate change.

The continued success of our waste recovery reduction programs highlights our residents’ commitment to our environment. This has been demonstrated by the overwhelming success of the expanded Beverage Container Program and reusable bag programs. We have recycled over 150 million beverage containers since 2005. We have moved away from single-use bags and have made milk containers eligible for a deposit refund. The expansion of these programs is dramatically reducing the amount of litter in our communities and garbage in our landfills.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most critical issues we dealt with during the past four years was the decline in our barren-ground caribou herds.

By working together and making tough management decisions, today we have seen increases in the Porcupine and Bluenose-East herds, the Cape Bathurst and Bluenose-West herds have stabilized, and the Bathurst herd may have stabilized. Other herds, the Tuk Peninsula, the Beverly and Ahiak, have yet to recover. But by completing harvest management and implementation plans for the Porcupine herd and the draft management plans for the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, and Bluenose-East, we are well on our way to establishing plans for all our herds. The efforts of renewable resources boards, Aboriginal governments, communities, and residents allow us to take this vital step in conserving and protecting this valuable resource for current and future generations.

Mr. Speaker, this is the most environmentally conscious Legislature in the history of the Northwest Territories. Many communities, businesses, and residents are taking advantage of the energy efficiency and alternative energy technology programs and services available through the Arctic Energy Alliance and our government. Biomass, solar, and wind are all being used to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research on mini-hydro, wind, and geothermal energy sources indicate these could be viable alternative energy sources for some communities and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, during the past four years we have embarked on efforts to review and update our forest management policies and legislation.

Recommendations from a recent wildfire program review are being implemented with communities to ensure the program is addressing the needs of communities and residents, particularly in determining the values at risk and the value placed on wildlife habitat. In addition, wildfire protection plans have either been completed or will be completed this year for all communities in the forested areas of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the highlights of the past four years. We have seen progress in a number of areas including energy and climate change, governance, wildlife and forest management, the Protected Areas Strategy, waste reduction and reuse, and water stewardship.

During the life of this 16th Legislative Assembly we’ve learned how important it is for all Northerners to work together to deal with the important issues facing us.

The progress made to date could only have been accomplished by working with our many partners and forging collaborative and cooperative relationships with Aboriginal governments and organizations, renewable resource boards, communities, industry, academic institutions and, of course, residents.

As a department, Environment and Natural Resources has employees in almost every community. These men and women are very passionate about their work, about conserving and protecting our natural environment, and about working with communities and organizations. I would like to thank them for their unwavering dedication and hard work over the past four years.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Members of this Assembly. Your advice, recommendations, questions and suggestions have helped us make sure our environment will sustain present and future generations.

Conserving and protecting our environment is a shared responsibility and it is encouraging to know that so many organizations and people are accepting and acting on this responsibility.

The progress made through the collaborative and cooperative management approach we have used with our many partners provides a solid foundation for the work of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Mahsi.