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MINISTER OF STATE AND YUKON MP MEET MEMBERS OF UNITED STATES FACT FINDING MISSION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Whitehorse, YUKON - August 16, 2005- The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Minister of State (Northern Development) and Member of Parliament for the Western Arctic and the Honourable Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for the Yukon, met yesterday with a United States delegation on a fact finding mission on climate change. The delegation included the new United States Ambassador David Wilkins, four US Senators – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat - New York), Senator John McCain (Republican - Arizona), Senator Susan Collins (Republican - Maine), and Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican - South Carolina), as well as the United States Consul General based in Vancouver, Lewis Lukens.

"I am pleased to have been part of this important visit and have an opportunity to discuss issues facing Aboriginal and Northern communities as a result of climate change with United States government leaders," said Minister Blondin-Andrew. "This fact finding mission is a key opportunity to dialogue with our American neighbours on this serious challenge. I was able to relay to the delegation my personal experiences, as well as the experiences of other First Nations, Inuit and Metis people across the North, of living with the impacts of climate change on the environment, our livelihoods and our communities on a daily basis."

"I am very pleased that such senior members of Congress were able to spend time in the Yukon, see climate change impacts for themselves and talk to Yukoners who live with this new reality day-to-day," said MP Larry Bagnell. "Visits such as this allow us to discuss common issues and cement our positive and cooperative relationship with the United States. The Yukon has a number of opportunities it is exploring with the United States, particularly the State of Alaska and helping to enhance appreciation for the Yukon and its people through these experiences will lead to good cooperation in the future."

The key theme of discussions with the United States Ambassador and the four Senators was climate change and the day’s events included first-hand experiences through an aerial tour of the region, as well as a stop in the community of Klukshu. Canada’s updated plan for meeting our Kyoto target was released on April 13, 2005, under the title Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment. Through this comprehensive plan, Canada will continue to show leadership on climate change at home and abroad. The United States delegation was also informed about the Aboriginal and Northern Community Action Program (ANCAP) which is helping to find solutions to address the effects of climate change.

It was clearly demonstrated to the United States delegation that across Canada, all orders of government are engaged in action to address climate change. A current example in the North includes the work that is going on with the Northern Strategy announced in December 2004 by the Prime Minister and three territorial Premiers. As part of this strategy, climate change has been identified as a key issue for the future sustainability of the North. A Climate Change Roundtable was held April 28-29 in Iqaluit, Nunavut, bringing together Aboriginal and Northern leaders along with government and academic experts to focus on the impacts of climate change on traditional pursuits, human health, wildlife, transportation and other infrastructure, and recommend action.

Climate change science findings underscore the importance and urgency of taking action on climate change. The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, released last year, reaffirmed mounting evidence from scientists and the people of the North that the Canadian Arctic is already experiencing some of the most serious and wide-ranging impacts of climate change seen anywhere, including rising temperatures, melting permafrost and shrinking ice cover.

Climate change is a global challenge. To provide leadership and demonstrate its strong support for the Kyoto Protocol, the Government of Canada will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference, including the Eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the first meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, Quebec from November 28 to December 9, 2005. A parallel event, called Arctic Day, is being held during the Conference to demonstrate to delegates the impact of climate change on the Arctic and the urgency for action.

For further information, please contact:

Line Gagnon
INAC Communications, Yukon
(867) 667-3315

Margot Geguld
INAC Media Relations, HQ
(819) 953-1160

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