Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to raise the issue of climate change and water here in the House. I'm aware that the general public and many Members of this House, note the direct correlation between these two very important issues facing northerners, Canadians, and basically all humankind over the next hundred years if no steps to address these concerns are taken today.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear of many countries holding many conferences every day and many meetings on climate change and clean water management and the impending doom of humankind if we do not make a concerted effort to deal with the world's rising temperatures because of CO2 emissions and the looming water crisis that both developed and non-developed countries will experience. I can go on and on about all these issues, Mr. Speaker, but there are many books on these issues and I encourage many people to pick them up and read them as they've become more important to many young folks today.
Because I am an aboriginal northerner, Mr. Speaker, I will keep my concerns raised on issues related to my constituency of Tu Nedhe and how climate emissions and water quantity and quality and, in particular, the use of are raising many eyebrows in my constituency and the lack of acknowledgment and support by our government to adamantly defend our First Nations' stand on proposed changes on our water supply systems due to increased development in the Mackenzie River water basin.
Sole responsibility to protect our major water supply in the NWT should not, and does not, lie in the hands of one First Nations band here in the NWT, in particular the Deninu Kue First Nations. But it seems like they are the only ones who are standing up to address and defend our water supply when issues of large expanded oil sands development within the Mackenzie River water basin are being addressed at an inter-jurisdictional forum of this importance.
Mr. Speaker, we all have to be united on issues of a global nature and importance, like this water and climate change. Our unity has to begin with a government and the people they represent stepping up to the plate together at all times to ensure that everyone's rights to clean water and pristine environment are paramount to our survival and our spiritual integrity. Mahsi.
---Applause