SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - About 25 people took seats in the Public Library meeting room on Nov. 26 to hear from three of the GNWT's Copenhagen delegation, on why they are going to the major climate change conference next week.

Speaking about their upcoming trip to Copenhagen at the Yellowknife Public Library last week are Ecology North's Daniel T'seleie, left, who is going as a youth delegate, Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy, Ray Case, GNWT director of environment, and Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy and David Krutko, MLA for Mackenzie Delta, members of the government's climate change committee, said they are going to gather information so they can lobby both the territorial and federal government to take action on climate change.

"For the negotiations we're more of observers, but we have the opportunity to lobby as many people as we can. I believe we'll be doing that - I know I will and I know Dave (Krutko) will as well," said Abernethy.

"We're going to learn, we're going to listen, we're going to lobby."

Krutko said he has seen the effect climate change has had on the North both physically and culturally.

He said hunters and trappers have not been able to get out on the land because the ice is freezing much later in the year than usual.

He said he has started to see dramatic changes in the Northern terrain.

"You can physically see the changes in the Mackenzie Delta in the last three years. Looking at the ridges on the mountains, you can see slumping," said Krutko.

"The mountains are sinking."

Abernethy said the meeting was called to not only state their intentions, but to hear from the audience - which contained, among others, Ecology North president Doug Ritchie, musician Mary Caroline and a number of youth.

Abernethy also said he intends to get a statement of cabinet's position on what they want out of the conference.

"They have said that they will have something for me before they go (to Copenhagen)," said Abernethy, adding he wants to get it out to the public well before the trip.

The territorial government has budgeted $86,000 to send five MLAs and two bureaucrats to the Dec. 7-18 conference, not including another GNWT staffer who's trip is covered by the federal government. The MLAs heading to Copenhagen are Abernethy, Krutko, Premier Floyd Roland, Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger, and Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley.