Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Environment in regards to my statement and realizing that the implications we’re seeing with climate change, and especially that records have clearly stated that the Mackenzie Delta is the most impacted with global warming, with high rising temperatures, but, more importantly, the effects we’re seeing in regards to melting permafrost and the erosion on the riverbanks on the Mackenzie Delta, and also the effects we’re seeing on communities that I mentioned, Tuktoyaktuk and Aklavik.
Mr. Speaker, we, as government, have to ensure that we’re proactive in regards to climate change, and not reactive and wait for something to happen. I’d like to ask the Minister of Environment exactly what is this government doing to mitigate the challenges of climate change and, more importantly, the effects we’re seeing in our communities today such as shoreline erosion and the possibility of having to move our communities.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the issue of what are we doing to mitigate the impact of global warming, climate change, we, as a Legislature, have committed to put $60 million into alternative energy to be able to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, to look at expanding wind, biomass, hydro, possibly geothermal, all with an aim towards reducing our greenhouse gasses and doing our share as global citizens and being responsible. When it comes to actual on-the-ground issues, we are spending millions of dollars in communities to deal with things related to permafrost, related to shore erosion in Tuk, communities up in the north that have pilings that have gone rotten that have had to be replaced. We’ve spent extensive amounts of money doing that. We’re looking at converting to more efficient forms of fossil fuels like natural gas. It was done in Inuvik. If there’s a pipeline that goes ahead, there are studies to be able to look at converting communities that are close enough. We are looking at a hydro expansion out at the Taltson to get a line up into the North Slave Geologic Province, and if we do that, we’ll cut our current greenhouse gasses in half. So we at work across the board, trying to do our share and be responsible citizens of this world. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I have to chuckle to myself talking about greenhouse gasses here. Mr. Speaker, it is warming up to a point where we’re actually seeing the communities eroding to a point where they may have to relocate. So I’d like to ask the Minister, does this government have a program to deal with shoreline erosion which is a definite threat from climate change? Do we have a program such as that to shore up our communities so that we can ensure that those communities will be there so we can implement some of the programs the Minister is talking about, instead of having to possibly move our communities.
Mr. Speaker, we are of the opinion, as well, that climate change and the effect of global warming is no laughing matter and that it’s affecting us that live in the North the fastest and the most intensely. But we must also recognize that there are some nature forces that have been going on since the world began: the river valley erosion, the shore erosion. It’s being speeded up and accelerated by global warming. We recognize that. We’re spending millions of dollars to work with communities to deal with the issues across the North. We’ve taken out some broad government-wide strategies that I think are very responsible to help us deal with that.
So we recognize that issue. Mother Nature is on the move. Some things we can deal with; some things we will have to adapt to. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, someone that drives along the Mackenzie River in the Mackenzie Delta between Aklavik and Fort McPherson can visually see how cabins are falling into the river. The riverbanks are eroding at such a fast rate that the communities are in the same situation.
I don’t think the Minister gets it. This is a serious problem. We have to do something to ensure that we shore up the infrastructure of communities such as Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk. We’ve heard from communities such as Sachs Harbour where they’re seeing the banks on Banks Island. This is a real problem and I don’t think we can slough it off by basically saying, well, we’re going to reduce our greenhouse emissions, because there may not be the infrastructure to emit those greenhouse gases so we don’t do anything about it.
So I’d like to ask the Minister again, what are you doing for communities like Aklavik to ensure that they basically have the security by way of finding ways of shoring up the banks along the river? It is in the centre of the Delta, it is along the shoreline, which basically their shoreline is eroding and it could possibly affect the community to the point where we may have to move that community.
Mr. Speaker, I believe every Member in this House gets it. I think every Northerner gets it when it comes to climate change. We’re not sloughing off anything. We’re spending tens of millions of dollars with communities to deal with their infrastructure issues, the issues and challenges they’re facing from nature. Some things we’ll be able to mitigate, some things we’re going to have to adapt to. In some cases Mother Nature will have the final say. We have to be prepared for that. But we are on this with communities and we all get it. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe if the Minister really wants to get it, maybe they can have a program for communities like Aklavik, to ensure that we have a shoreline erosion program that’s there for communities that are along the shoreline of the river systems and in regards to lakes and whatnot. So when we see this erosion taking place, we actually have a program out there that people can access public funds to shore up their communities so that they are in the future. Can the Minister commit to that?
Mr. Speaker, there has been, and continues to be, work done with our government through MACA, through Public Works, on the issue of shoreline erosion as it affects the community of Aklavik, as it affects the community of Tuk, the federal government is aware of the issue, and we’re going to continue to work with the communities to deal with this issue. As it accelerates, it may require different types of action, but this has been an issue that has been there for hundreds of years. The sad reality is it seems to be intensifying as the climate warms, and the ice melts and the water levels rise. But we are going to continue to be there working with the communities to deal with these issues. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
