Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I see progress being made in the area of several strategies, including the one that I mentioned in my Member's statement, and my question today is for the Minister of ENR. Executing this strategic climate framework is paramount to our contribution efforts. What more regional consultation is under way, if any, on this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had initial input and an initial round of consultations on the Climate Change Strategic Framework. We are putting a "what we heard" document together, and our intention is that it will be released for external review and more feedback and comment in October. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks for the answer, Mr. Minister. On the issue of traditional knowledge, traditional knowledge can make a contribution effort to research development and the research institution. Is it the plans of the department or the strategy to set up a research centre in the Northwest Territories?
The Member is correct. Traditional knowledge plays a large part in some of the work that we are doing, and I think we see that all across the Northwest Territories in the Mackenzie Delta, and you have just seen in the news in the last few days, some of the slides that they are having on the river just down from Inuvik. As far as opening a research centre, if the federal government is willing to put a lot of the money into it, and we can put some contribution towards it, we would be glad to look at a research centre.
I recall years ago going to school in Grollier Hall in Inuvik, and there was a research centre there. The building is still standing there. I guess it is the beginning of what could be a future research institution contributing to research such as permafrost and the effects of climate change, as we see so much of these days. Even the animals that are around in the North have not been around here 10 or 15 years ago. Is it the department's initiative to seek funding from the federal government to set up this institution in Inuvik?
The Member is absolutely correct. There is a research centre in Inuvik. The old one that the Member recalls seeing back in the days when he was going to school in Inuvik, that one is gone now, and we have replaced it with a brand new research centre. We are taking advantage of all the opportunities that are available to do polar research around the world, and that is one of the reasons we are quite excited about the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link and the opportunities that might bring to continue to do more research.
In speaking with the members of the industry, and they talk about the benefits of the location of Inuvik, they are able to gain a lot more information off the satellites. We have done a lot of work to enhance programs that we have up in Inuvik, and as we improve their telecommunications and everything else we are looking forward to the opportunity for more work up in Inuvik.
Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am just trying to reveal the hidden election platform of the Minister, considering that it is community, and their satellite to support the institution of this building. As the Minister said earlier, the fibre optic line will increase the technology and database of transmission in the area of communication. Ideally, it just makes sense that this research centre be set up and established in Inuvik. My question is: is there a time frame related to this incorporation of this building? Thank you.
The building has been completed for a couple of years now, and we are starting to see more and more researchers with the climate change making their way up to the Beau-Del. We would like to see this as a beginning of the University of the North, and we are better to have it than in an area where you have a lot of everything as far as scientific research and that goes. I think the term I heard was that Inuvik was geographically gifted for this type of work, and we hope we continue to build on that and see this program expand to where it may become a University of the North in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
