Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change following up on my Member's statement on some of the feedback that we have gotten from NWT youth on the climate change action plan. So some of their observations were that most of the actions in the plan are hard to measure, that it might specify we'll continue to do things or have processes. But what is ECC doing to make its actions on climate change more measurable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to start by acknowledging MLA Reid and MLA Morgan and the students and staff at Sir John and St. Pat's high school for the opportunity to go in and have discussions of the climate change action plan with them.
As we've done our engagement as ECC, some of the key comments that we've received, and which have been independently evaluated through a process that we're using, have said that our actions need to be more measurable, and this is certainly something that we feel is a critical path forward for us as a department. So what we've committed to doing is wherever possible is we're going to use a smart goal approach so that to ensure that our goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Also, ensuring that as we reach milestones through these processes that we're relaying that information to the public so that everyone is aware that we've made specific milestones. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Okay, so that is good news.
The next question is when will there be plain language materials produced about the climate change action plan and the milestones that are being reached so that ordinary residents of the territory, including young people, can read the plan and think, okay, this is speaking to me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a department, we're certainly committed to the plain language approach. I think it's critical that the members of our public in the Northwest Territories have the ability to read and interpret this information.
Right now, currently, each of the annual reports for the last five years has a preface that is a summary in a plain language format. It's a short, plain language summary. We are also -- we've already produced plain language materials that explain the priority, risk, and opportunities facing the territory when it comes to climate change risk, and we've also added areas within this plan that are depicted graphically to help to enhance and engage the public generally on the understanding and to stimulate more discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my final question is how will ordinary residents, and particularly young people, be able to be involved in the actions that the government is taking as part of this climate change action plan, or is the plan designed to be carried out exclusively by government employees? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework describes an overarching climate change goals for the territory and was developed in partnership with our partners across the territory as well as through engagement with the general public and the public at large. Much of this work certainly involves, you know, engaging with the NWT climate change council, NWT climate change advisory groups, NWT climate change youth steering committee, and other collaborative mechanisms. You know, for the students, I think continuing their advocacy which they showed, you know, within their schools through their green teams, you know, when I was there, it was like question period. You know, they asked some really tough questions of me. So if they continue down that road, I think it's important that they will certainly get to where we need to get to.
While lots of things are harder in the North, the students notice that some things are easier, Mr. Speaker. We're such a small population that we can use our connections to organize ourselves and get things done. Let's follow the lead of those young people and bring more action into our climate change action plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
