Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in early December, I held a press conference here at the Legislature with the five chiefs from my region. We shared a concern that long-term government visions are inefficient because they do not take advantage of infrastructure currently in place in the North Slave region.

We identified how the government is working on a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and yet, government plans overlook the partnership already in place between the government and the Dogrib Power Corporation.

This access to hydro-electric power is not factored into the department plans, despite the reality of climate change and the need to have cleaner energy sources.

Scientists all over the world forecast that we in the North will experience more global warming than anywhere else in the world. We are already seeing some of the effects right now. The transporting of goods is becoming more difficult. Winter roads freeze later in the fall and thaw out earlier in the spring.

Recently in my region, the community of Wha Ti almost ran out of fuel. The ice road could not be opened because the ice was too thin. The community was nearing a state of crisis.

Everyday in the news we hear of delays experienced by the truckers trying to move goods to the mine site. The ice road was opened three weeks later than usual and even now, it is not thick enough to allow whole loads to be transported.

As a government, we need to be proactive and adapt to the changing climate. We need to ensure that in the next few years, we develop alternate access to remote communities and the mines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause