Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I brought up the Member's statement for the Arctic Council. Can the Premier tell this House where does the Arctic Council stand right now and have they met, or is there any dialogue going back and forth since the Russian attack on Ukraine, because the Russians are the chair of the committee. So is the federal government engaged with the territorial government in regards to for the committee to move forward and where it's at? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So Canada, the federal government at this point is the representative on the Arctic Circle or the Arctic Council, sorry. The Northwest Territories does go as part of the Canadian delegation, and we do sit on working groups as appropriate for the Northwest Territories. But the Arctic Council has not met for the last two years. Russia was the chair from May 2021 to May 2023, which is coming up. My understanding is that Norway will be the next chair and hopefully there will be some movements once Norway takes over the chair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Arctic Council resumes meetings, when will that be on a timeline on a go forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Northwest Territories doesn't actually have a seat at that table. It's the federal government that does. We sit on working groups. We go as part of the Canadian delegation but we're not actually the direct member for that. I am assuming that once Norway takes over the chair that meetings will start again. However, I'm kind of wondering where the Member is going with this and I think it is around geopolitical things that are happening. And so I do want to stress that the Ottawa declaration explicitly excludes discussions of military security at the Arctic Council. So if that's where the Member's going, then this is not the right forum for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is involved in any work associated with the Arctic Council as they were just delegates, I guess. But it's not in regards to military or anything like that. It's climate change research, ocean management, Arctic shipping, waste management, regional planning. Can the Premier just explain to us where they're sitting and if they're just delegates sitting behind the table in regards to for Canadian what are they doing? What are they saying? Are they representing us? Are they because if they haven't been sitting for the last two years, has the Premier's office got in touch with them and on a go forward, what's happening? That's all I'm trying to ask, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So thank you for the clarification. I was kind of wondering what the line of questioning was going to be. So no, the Arctic Council has not met in the last two years because of Russia being the chair and the geopolitical issues that are going on right now around that. But the Member is correct, it's important that things are happening in the Arctic, and so it's important that we do take as many opportunities as possible to be able to discuss issues that affect the Arctic. So I know that Ministers have gone and officials have gone to COP. I also know that in the last short time over the last year, I've attended the Arctic Circle, both in Greenland and in Iceland. I've gone to the Arctic encounters in Alaska. I've also met with the northern Premiers. We've talked to Ministers together, all three northern Premiers. So any opportunity that we can to speak about the issues in the Arctic, whether it's climate change and even if it is geopolitical issues, we take those opportunities, Mr. Speaker. I think this is really important for us all to pay attention to what's going on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, madam Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank that. I just want to really emphasize that any meetings like that that are being attended, you know, just to let this side of the House know, and please let us know on this side of the House in regards to any meetings like that where it's happening in our back door where we live and where we're born and raised. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually we do try to I'm not sure if all the time but try to get better at it. But I do know that at the Arctic Council actually that we just attended, we did let the Members know on the other side. They sent a Member to attend with us. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
