Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to return to a subject discussed earlier this month by my colleague, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
In June, energy stakeholders will come together to run a charrette on carbon taxing from opportunities and possible rules to revenues and community energy projects. They'll also be planning for the use of micro-grids to reduce emissions. There have been NWT-based energy charrettes in the past, and the GNWT has been a major player. Some might say that we don't need another conference, or that we need to take action, not just talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, to that I say: progress can be slow, but that doesn't mean we should just stop trying. Discussion takes time, true, but that's how ideas for action are born. Charrettes bring people together to solve problems. Here, Aboriginal and community governments, industry, and environmental NGOs want to come together, Mr. Speaker. That's big. That means that these partners recognize the big questions raised by carbon taxing and ideas for alternative energy, and that they want to get together, find solutions, and make changes that will make a difference on the ground.
The Gwich'in Tribal Council is in full support, and like several other partners, the council is making a funding contribution. All Members recently received a background on this charrette. There's a seat at the table for the GNWT, and organizers are looking for a commitment, a commitment to participate and to complement the contributions already made by private donors. I hope they'll see us there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.