Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We begin our legislative sitting on the heels of the Northwest Territories' 16th Youth Parliament.
It was a real honour to serve as a Page for our young leaders, and I am more impressed than ever seeing the next generation of Northerners hard at work in this great Chamber. I was particularly impressed with my counterpart, the youth representative for Kam Lake, Aafreen Khan.
Ms. Khan is a young, bilingual Muslim woman and is the embodiment of what a diverse and progressive NWT will look like in the future. Youth Parliaments are great forums that give the leaders of today an opportunity to hear the issues that matter most to the leaders of tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, Youth Parliament comes once every two years. Imagine how much more we could learn from young Northerners if this government creates its own youth advisory council.
It is not a new idea; far from it, as youth councils have been established through the Canada and the world. For example, the Prime Minister's Youth Council was formed in 2016 and is served by a group of young Canadians who provide non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada on issues important to them and to all Canadians.
Youth Council members meet both online and in person several times a year to discuss issues that matter to their peers, to their communities, and to their country. They work together outside of meetings to discuss ideas, engage with local and national organizations, meet with decision-makers like Cabinet Ministers, and attend public events.
Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the kind of engagement that helps lawmakers and governments make good decisions for our people, and the Prime Minister isn't alone in his efforts to open up dialogue with young people on a regular basis. In Ontario, the Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities is a 25-member group of young professionals and leaders, ages 16 to 25, who give advice to the Premier and the Minister of Children and Youth.
During the last budget talks in Ontario, the council weighed in on project proposals, and out of 126 projects reviewed, 33 were recommended by the youth council to Ontario's Minister of Finance. This is a clear example of the positive outcomes of engaging with young people through a youth council.
Mr. Speaker, the governments of Canada, Ontario, and Newfoundland have all implemented youth advisory councils. Northerners know that this government should prioritize engaging all citizens in all of our communities, including and especially young Northerners. We can do so much more to ensure their voices and ideas are brought into our decision-making and into how this government works.
Mr. Speaker, politicians are fond of saying "the children are our future," but I say it is time that we make young people a part of today and give young Northerners the voice they deserve through their own youth advisory council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.