Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ENR, responsible for the climate file. In my statement earlier today, I outlined some of the important points being raised by students bringing their climate action to the legislature today, so I would like to ask the Minister: does the government accept the need for some sort of environmental cost planning and accounting process so that the full cost of any program or project takes into account its environmental impacts and the need for any mitigation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and we appreciate the fact that the students are here voicing their concerns about climate change. It is something that we in the North have faced for a long time before the rest of the country. Before it became flavour of the day, we were feeling the effects of climate change, particularly in the Mackenzie Delta, where I am from. We see banks falling into the river. I would hate to come to a point someday where we walk across the river because there is so much sediment in the water.
I appreciate the work that they are doing. They are obviously very passionate about it, and that is something that I would like to see them continue. Being the grandfather of six, I have a personal interest in this, because I do want to see the day where my grandchildren don't have to worry about the effects of climate change, and this is something that, as a government, we are making attempts to deal with. Like I said, the North felt the effects of climate change long before it was flavour of the day. Now, to the rest of the country and the rest of the world, welcome to the file.
Mr. Speaker, as we feel the effects of climate change, in our planning to do infrastructure, we have seen what it could do to some of the infrastructure that is already there, with the ground sliding into the river and some of the other effects that it is having on some of the local infrastructure. We have seen that. As we go forward, we will take into consideration all of that as we plan projects, and I think that it is already happening. As I said, we felt the effects of climate change long before the rest of the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for that reply and his acknowledgement of the effects that climate change is having on the north and that it is more dire than most other regions and that, for sure, in planning our infrastructure that we currently own and going forward, we have to take into account the fiscal and financial accounting aspects in order to overcome those.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask the Minister: what steps is the government taking to make sure that our young people are equipped to make contributions on climate action, by introducing climate change impacts, adaptation, mitigation, and innovation to the NWT education system? Is the Minister working with the Minister of Education to develop curriculum on climate change?
Again, recognizing the importance of the voices of the youth in the Northwest Territories, I believe it was in the Assembly before that we actually had a youth forum that the Premier of the day had implemented, and we got feedback from a lot of youth across the Northwest Territories. I think that there is some merit in the Member's suggestion. It is something that we could talk with the young people of the Northwest Territories about as potentially having, working with Education, some type of a climate change symposium, where we could get their opinion on what they would like to see taught in schools.
It is a serious issue, Mr. Speaker, and it is one that, the more we educate our youth as they are coming through the educational system, I think, the greater effect that it will have on the future of the Northwest Territories and our ability to deal with climate change.
I appreciate the Minister's response, and he did indicate the idea, potentially, of a symposium. Clearly, our young people have the most at stake. Maybe what I will ask the Minister is if he will, in fact, commit the government to at least consider establishing an ongoing forum or a symposium that can have regular constructive dialogue and that would seek advice from the NWT's youth on climate change?
We recognize that there are a number of other governments and organizations in the NWT with climate change roles. It would be difficult for me, at this stage of this Assembly, to commit the government to a symposium. Through the transition committee and providing some advice to the incoming 19th, I think that we will hear it during the election period that is coming up; the election is on October 1st. I think that we will hear a lot of concerns about climate change, and I am sure that potential candidates who are running will be telling the constituents their plans for how to deal with this ongoing issue. Let's make sure that it's a plan that they're passionate about, and not one that they're just saying to get the public's vote.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Minister. We absolutely have to encourage our forthcoming leaders and we have to engage, actively engage our youth in getting to the table and having the conversation, but I also don't like the idea that we are pushing these sorts of things off. There is never a time where we can't keep the discussion going about climate change. I would also like to ask the Minister: has the government considered convening call it a client action group that would include youth, elders, scientists, even economists, traditional harvesters, et cetera, industry even, to discuss and seek innovative ways to achieve responsible development and a sustainable society?
Through a number of the initiatives and strategies that we come forward with, we go out and seek public opinion, consultation with affected stakeholders, and I think it's through that process that they are able to get their input. We have three months left in this Assembly. Again, I can commit to this Chamber that we'll explore the idea of doing something such as that and work with stakeholders. Again, we can make the suggestions, and as we've seen at the beginning of the 18th, it will be upon the Members of the 19th to determine at that time whether this is something that they want to implement, and I believe it is. I believe it's a serious enough issue, and again, I've said it two or three times now, we've felt the effects long before everybody else so we have taken steps to mitigate some of the effects it has.
There is a lot of merit in the Member's suggestion, and we've heard, and I'm sure everybody else has heard, the young people have heard. It's a commitment that I think this Assembly in this building, this institution, has to follow up on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
