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For release: December 13, 2007

Canadian arctic indigenous people and youth join together to push for serious action on climate change

Bali, Indonesia - Canadian arctic indigenous people and youth attending the UN climate conference in Bali have joined together to call on the federal government to safeguard their future by taking strong action on climate change.

"Aboriginal people in Canada's arctic are already experiencing climate change impacts," said Cindy Dickson, a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

She said her peoples' traditional way of life, which is intricately connected to the caribou, is at risk from. Arctic communities rely on caribou as a main food source. Caribou is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is used when hunters travel over long distances by dog-team or ski-doo.

"Over the last few years the caribou have been very unpredictable," said Ms. Dickson, who grew up in a small fly-in community of about 300 people in northern Canada. "Their migration routes are all over the map. It has led our people to go up river, down river -– sometimes hundreds of miles -- to look for the increasingly elusive herd."

Ms. Dickson is in Bali to urge the federal government to involve aboriginal people in its approach to climate change. James Allen, who is in Bali with the Arctic Athabaskan Council, echoed Ms. Dickson's concerns.

"Over the years I have noticed many changes out on the land," said Mr. Allen. "My home is in the boreal forest and the spruce bark beetle has wreaked havoc on our lands. The beetle larvae are usually killed off in minus 40-degree weather and we need about two weeks of it. This has not happened for many years. If we hit minus 40 it usually only lasts a day or two and this is not good enough to kill off the larvae."

More than 30 Canadian youth are also in Bali to drive home the message that decisions made here have real implications for real people, especially future generations.

"When it comes the future of our earth I feel like I have no choice, control, or influence on the Canadian government," said Katrina Genuis, a 17-year-old high school student and youth delegate from Edmonton, Alberta. "In some ways, I'm terrified. This is our future and the future of our children that is at stake."

Ms. Genuis said practical, affordable solutions are in reach but Canada is resisting taking strong action to cut its harmful emissions. Canada has also been blocking progress on some key elements of an international agreement.

"We need leaders who will put a priority on preserving our planet to allow us to have a healthy future and a healthy environment," she said.

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