Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Premier made a statement on strengthening Canada's Arctic in the face of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. I agreed with much of what the Premier said, so my statement today is going to echo some key points that I, too, hope to see develop in our territory in terms of Arctic Sovereignty.
Mr. Speaker, as we speak there are currently two major phenomena that are unfolding across the circumpolar world which will have long-lasting impacts and global implications for generations to come; those being the effects of global climate change and, along with it, an increase in the amount of land and economic development that comes with a warmer climate. These two things, Mr. Speaker, will come hand-in-hand, whether we like it or not.
As a person from a remote community, I have seen firsthand and have heard from many constituents of some of the many adverse effects that climate change has been having on our environment. We see the impacts in many forms, whether it is coastal erosion, dwindling sea ice, oceans warming, or increasingly volatile and unpredictable wildfire seasons, across the Northwest Territories.
However, on the other side of the coin, we, as a territory and as a country, must not be deterred by the effects of climate change. While, yes, it is imperative for the world to collectively work together to limit our greenhouse gas output, it is also important that we work to mitigate the effects of, and learn to adapt to, the new climate reality that we seem to be headed toward.
What I am saying, Mr. Speaker, is that we can't be afraid to think boldly in terms of our territory's potential to be an international trade or transportation hub. As our Premier said yesterday, and in previous statements, we must not stand idly by and let the other circumpolar nations surge ahead in front of us on this. I believe that our territory would greatly benefit from a steady flow of strategic investments into critical infrastructure projects such as renewable energy, deep-sea ports, and increased airport and highway capacities, among others. In many respects, our country could be leading the way on this front, but it appears that we are struggling to merely keep up.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, as we look ahead and move forward into these unchartered waters, adaptability is inherent to the way of life for Indigenous peoples. We must move forward with confidence, collaboration, and cooperation with leadership at all levels as we find dynamic solutions to help manage our evolving Arctic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.