Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I spoke about the need to support and pay attention to our youth. Today they are just outside and right here in our gallery, telling us themselves. We need to listen.

Mr. Speaker, this is the climate strike organized by Yellowknife students in the past few weeks. They are joining thousands of young people across the country and around the world who are rising up to challenge the status quo. They are challenging the world's leadership to take serious steps and make fundamental changes.

Here are some of the messages that they need us to hear and understand, Mr. Speaker:

• our actions on climate change will define the lives of the younger generation;
• confronting climate change requires new thinking, vision, and leadership;
• we should create a centre of climate change and innovation to bring everyone under one roof that include:
  • youth,
  • elders,
  • scientists,
  • engineers,
  • traditional harvesters,
  • industry, and
  • governments;
• we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions urgently;
• government and industry must incorporate environmental cost accounting to assess true costs and find efficiencies; and
• climate change, adaptations, and innovations must be taught in schools.

Mr. Speaker, the reality of climate change might be an inconvenience for many of us, but for our youth, it is nothing less than a dire threat to their future.

I am glad to say that important steps are being taken. We have signed on to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. We have adopted the 2030 Energy Strategy and Action Plan. We have developed a Climate Change Strategic Framework, and there is a forthcoming action plan. That framework commits us to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over 2005 levels by 2030. We have initiated solar projects in Colville Lake and Fort Simpson. We have wind turbines being set up in Inuvik, and Diavik Mine has relied on wind energy for many years now. I'm glad to see that other initiatives, like small community micro-grids and proposals for testing renewable diesel, being talked about.

These are steps in the right direction, but the young people outside and in our Chamber today remind us that we must continue moving in this direction. Thank you to the youth for taking your stance, for raising your voices, and for challenging us to be the leaders on climate change that you deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.