Bob McLeod

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize a constituent of mine, Mr. Everett McQueen, and his two daughters, Wynter and Montana. I can’t tell who is who because they’re twins, but it’s nice to see them here.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Business People Working for Other Business People, Business Development and Investment Corporation Corporate Plan 2008–2009.

Document 91-16(2), Business People Working for Other Business People, Business Development and Investment Corporation Corporate Plan 2008–2009, tabled.

I can advise the Member that with regard to rebates for wood stoves we’re increasing the rebate to $400 from $300. As well, for wood pellet heating furnaces we’re increasing the rebates to $700 for pellet furnaces and $1,000 for pellet boilers.

As far as government departments, all government departments are involved in developing energy conservation measures. We will be rolling them out as part of the business planning process.

Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Question 34-16(2) I wish to table the following two documents entitled 2008–2009 Position Reductions and Summary of Active Positions and Growth. Thank you.

Document 79-16(2), 2008–2009 Position Reductions, tabled.

Document 80-16(2), Summary of Active Positions and Growth, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Question 19-16(2) I wish to table the following document entitled 2008 Summer Student Employment Start Dates.

Document 78-16(2), 2008 Summer Student Employment Start Dates, tabled.

We will be working in the next few months or so to lay out our approach to how we will be undertaking this review and how we will be laying it out over the next year. My plan is to take this approach and discuss it further with the standing committee.

I should also point out that we’ve been working very closely with other jurisdictions that have diamonds, and we’ve been able to share the benefit of our expertise with our sister or brother diamond-producing provinces. I really think that with this review we will be able to take a very creative look at the way we deal with diamonds in the...

The Government of the Northwest Territories’ diamond policy framework was established in June of 1999. This policy facilitated the development of a diamond manufacturing industry in the Northwest Territories. Certainly, the policy needs to be reviewed and updated. As a government we will be reviewing the current strategy. We are quite prepared to look at the suggestions that have been made by the Member and work very closely with the standing committee so we can improve and update our diamond policy.

An equity position in a diamond facility is certainly something we’re prepared to look at. We know other provinces have done that in different sectors, and this is an area we can look at. I believe it would have to involve stakeholders in the diamond industry, but this is something we are prepared to look at.

We’re prepared to look at any options that would improve and increase the benefits to the Northwest Territories. One of our primary objectives is to see the allocation for the Northwest Territories being fully utilized in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With regard to access to diamonds, since the diamonds were first discovered the diamond industry has been one of the big success stories for the Northwest Territories. We’re now third in the world in production of diamonds, behind Russia and Botswana. We’re even ahead of South Africa. Part of the issue is that we are a territory, so the federal government owns the resources.

The problem we had as a government was how to receive benefits from the diamond industry itself. The government of the day was able to successfully negotiate with the diamond companies, which was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Escarpment Creek is part of a park that includes other falls in the area, and we use it for group activities. In our efforts to improve services and enjoyment of the use of our parks in the Northwest Territories, we’ll certainly review the designation that we’ve given to Escarpment Creek. Thank you.