rfmcdonald | [LINK] "Aboriginal leaders warn climate change is impacting northern road networks" (Reply)

Kristy Kirkup's Canadian Press report, published in the Toronto Star, notes that one expected consequence of global warming will hit the First Nations peoples of northern Ontario.

Wonky weather conditions are prompting aboriginal leaders to raise concerns about the impact of climate change on winter roads, which serve as lifelines for food, fuel and other necessities in several northern communities.

Isadore Day, the Ontario regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, said the reliability of the northern winter road network is in jeopardy in his province.

“The winter roads have essentially become a way of life for the communities and now they can’t rely on those winter roads,” Day said, noting the network is used to offset the cost to bring essential goods to fly-in reserves by air.

The problem exemplifies why there was outcry from First Nations during the recent COP21 climate change summit in Paris, Day said.

“This is the type of issue where the rubber hits the road,” he said.

“There will be no road if we don’t have an opportunity to speak for ourselves on the issue of climate change and this certainly is a direct impact.”