Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Education Week is February 20th to 24th in the Northwest Territories. It is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the roles education plays in enriching and improving our lives.
The theme for Education Week 2006 is "Get Smart About Energy." We are encouraging communities to celebrate Education Week by learning different ways to practice responsible energy consumption.
Schools throughout the NWT have been given a list of energy learning links. These web sites provide access to a wealth of information about energy. For example, students can discover how their use of energy contributes to greenhouse gas emissions that result in climate change. They can also find tips to get smarter about the power they use everyday.
Research indicates the Canadian Arctic is already experiencing serious and wide-ranging impacts from climate change. Melting permafrost, declining water levels in our lakes and rivers, changes in our air quality and uncommon weather patterns are all signs that climate change is currently taking place in the NWT and that action is required.
We know that education is one of the first steps towards improving energy consumption patterns. Posters, teacher resources and energy-efficient nightlights will be distributed to schools to promote informed decisions about energy use in the classroom, home and community.
Our annual celebration of Education Week is an excellent opportunity for each of us to reflect on the impact we have on our environment. It is important to acquire as much information and knowledge as possible and then take action to preserve the NWT landscape that we know today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause