Minister for the Day

Wednesday June 6, 2007

2007 MFTD Program Summary

This year twelve grade five students from across the province earned the opportunity to spend the day finding out what it is like to be Alberta 's Minister of Environment. Once again, they tackled tough environmental issues and responded to questions on protecting the environment and what they would do if they were the Minister of Environment.

The students met with Environment Minister Rob Renner on June 6 to discuss the environmental issues they're most concerned about and how they could be tackled. Minister Renner and the students held a press conference to discuss the importance of protecting wetlands. Following the conference, the students spent some time at Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park , testing water as part of Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) Day and learning more about wetlands from a hands-on approach.

Minister for the Day

Eric Taylor
Calgary Science School, Calgary

"Put bans on where people can develop near and around the wetlands to limit the access to environmentally sensitive areas and build walkways through wetlands for visitors."

Deputy Minister for the Day

Briana Raffael
Ecole Plamondon, Lac La Biche

"If we just ride our bikes instead of driving to work or just take the bus our air would be much fresher and have less pollution."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Fiona Chang
High Park School, Stony Plain

"Climate change is really affecting our world and how we live. I want to make sure all living things, ecosystems, communities, and economies can adapt to climate change."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Kendall Armstrong
Langdon School, Langdon

"...you can’t say ‘Close all factories’ or ‘It’s against the law to use cars’. It just doesn’t work that way."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Ailish Conners
Rundle College Elementary, Calgary

"One of the effects of global warming that catches my attention the most is that the peak of global warming is in 30 years, affecting kids."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Cara Haubrich
Evergreen Elementary, Drayton Valley

"I think people should stop building subdivisions near or on wetlands because they could be taking a habitat away from an animal."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Kayla Jordison
Louis Riel Elementary and Junior High School, Calgary

"To conserve energy we should put on a sweater and turn the heat off, ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation to your destination."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Keanna Lee
St. James Elementary and Junior High School, Calgary

"Fund more organizations to save wetlands like Inglewood Bird Sanctuary."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Ashby Martel
Seven Persons School, Seven Persons

"I would like to stop factories from dumping chemicals in streams because it’s destroying wildlife."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Arjun Nair
Calgary Science School, Calgary

"Advertise the importance of wetlands!"

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Breanne Shemko
York Academy, Edmonton

"Individuals can join groups like Ducks Unlimited to hep preserve the natural habitat of wetlands."

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Day

Justin Mott-Levesque
York Academy, Edmonton

"...make a law stating that nobody can build within 200 meters of any wetlands."