Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the NWT highway system has long stretches of road without communities or other identifying points of interest in between. We work very closely with the Department of Transportation so that our travelling public and tourists that come up here can have points of interest identified to them and we can make stops available to them when nature calls — also that they can stop safely. We’re working with the Department of Transportation so that we can strategically identify and place pullouts. As funding becomes available, we can put in place rest stops and...

Mr. Speaker, I guess the way I look at it is that the majority of the diamonds produced in Canada are produced in the Northwest Territories, and if we wanted to develop a diamond bourse and it was concluded that it would be something that would be worthwhile and would benefit the residents of the Northwest Territories, then we would look at doing something similar. But this was a Government of Ontario initiative. They had hired a consultant that went around and held hearings, so we went and listened and heard what people were saying.

Since diamonds were discovered in the Northwest Territories ten years ago, the Government of the Northwest Territories has been working very hard to maximize the benefits of the diamond industry for NWT residents and businesses.

In particular, we’ve been successful in developing a secondary manufacturing industry here in the North. I’m very proud to say that it’s well recognized within the diamond industry that this has worked very well, and it’s being adopted by other countries that have diamonds. As far as reviewing our policies, it is has been ten years, so it is important work that has to...

Mr. Speaker, we do have some rest stop facilities. Where it becomes difficult is that some of them are located quite far away from communities. Generally we make arrangements with either a contractor or the Department of Transportation. Those are the arrangements we have in place, and as we progress with our plan, we could look at better and more effective ways to have these facilities.

Mr. Speaker, when diamonds were first discovered ten years ago and we developed our diamond policy, we concluded that we would maximize benefits to the Northwest Territories by having an allocation of diamonds provided for the Northwest Territories and developing a secondary manufacturing industry. We are now reviewing our policy. If it comes out that a diamond bourse would provide additional benefits to the Northwest Territories over and above what we already have, then certainly we will look at that as part of our review of our diamond policy.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to recognize the difference between a province and a territory. Ontario as a province can collect royalties on diamonds that are being produced, so we have to find other ways to maximize benefits to the Northwest Territories. One of the ways we have done that is by requiring an allocation from the diamond mines and establishing a secondary diamond industry. So that is how we’re maximizing our benefits.

We had people attend the diamond bourse hearings that were held so that we could stay on top of it and monitor what was going on with regard to the diamond...

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this Assembly that the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation, in partnership with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Aboriginal Business Canada, will be hosting the third biennial Northern Economic Development Practitioners Conference in Yellowknife from December 1 to 4, 2008.

The theme for NEDP 2008 is Building Northern Capacity — an excellent fit with this Assembly’s goals and priorities for the development of our economy and our people.

Northern economic development...

The Government of the Northwest Territories has worked with the Ontario government to share information as they establish their diamond industry. We participated in the workshops that were held in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. We participated primarily as observers. As I said earlier, we are reviewing our diamond policy. Certainly, the establishment of a diamond bourse would be looked at as part of that review.

The diamond bourse provides for the facilitated sale of rough and polished diamonds. This is something that our government looked at initially, when diamonds were first discovered. We determined at that time that we would get more value added by making sure that rough diamonds were made available for the secondary diamond industry. So we have proceeded on that basis. We are now reviewing our policy to see whether we should be looking at diamond bourses.

Ontario held these workshops in a number of locations across Canada. It was organized by a former resident of the Northwest Territories. The...

I’d like to recognize three pages from Yellowknife South — Edward Coad, Emily Thagard and Lucas Othmer — and thank them for the excellent service they provided over the past two weeks.