Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to use my questions today to follow up on my Member’s statement, which was when I talked about the idea and certainly the issue of the establishment of an environment award.
As I said just briefly in my Member’s statement, we have great awards such as the Premier’s Awards, Education Hall of Fame Awards, Sport North, volunteer, and the list certainly goes on in many deserving areas that need to be recognized.
Not to take away but to add to this opportunity, I’m going to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, would he believe that there would be great merit, and certainly opportunity, in the establishment of its own set of awards for environment? Would he be willing to do that? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member would have the time to put his fingers to the keyboard and send me an outline and I’ll listen to the discussion and I’m interested to have further discussions about that. But for greater clarity, he could give us how clear it is on this issue in terms of key points that he’d like to see environmental awards, and we will definitely give it serious consideration. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, he took my second question away from me and I didn’t even have a question three or four. Maybe I can just ask if the Minister is interested in this kind of concept for stand-alone environment awards, recognizing the issues I talked about, recognizing children, recognizing schools, community heroes, community groups and even government employees who provide stewardship of public policy. I just want to be very clear.
Is the Minister supportive of the concept? I heard him say he’ll take a look at it, but is he individually supportive of the concept? Because it’s important to know he leads the department. Thank you.
The role of the environment and the importance of the environment to this Legislature, to the government and the people of the Northwest Territories is second to none in terms of priorities. So, yes, when it comes to doing the right thing with environment, including recognizing those folks who have spent their life doing good work as it pertains to the environment, we are interested. I am interested. If the Member will send me that information, I will give it my serious consideration and will put it on my ongoing list I have for discussion with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Moses.
