Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get the Member more specific detail as to the steps that follow our contact with a client, and notification that we are pursuing legal means. I would say legal means are a last resort, we are not trying to be overly litigious. We work very closely with clients to try to help them through rough spots. I know the BCC makes every effort to look at temporarily allowing interest-free payments and withholding the requirement that interest be paid. There are even times when a stop payment is made on principal if businesses are in a truly difficult position...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We know that underground operations have ceased at Con, the mill is still operating, and as the Member has indicated ore is being processed there from Giant. Our indications were that that would cease at the end of ‘04, approximately. I don’t think that we have any information to make us believe that plans have changed. I did notice that gold was over $400 U.S. the other day, and I am sure that these kinds of things factor into decisions, but I don’t believe we have any official communication from the company telling us that their plans have changed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all let me say that I think this budget was very favourable in terms of contaminated sites. The last budget, if memory serves me, identified $500 and some odd million for cleanup of contaminated sites. It was short-term funding. I think this furthers that commitment. It is roughly ballpark. I think the same types of dollars per year, but it is a 10-year commitment, and there has been an indication that something like 60 percent of it will be spent in the North. I think that bodes very well for the NWT. I think even in the backup to the budget an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the American Gem Society Laboratories is one of the major polished diamond grading laboratories in the world. The American Gem Society grades polished diamonds for colour, clarity, carat and cut. It is one the world leaders in developing grading certification processes and was the first major laboratory in the world to grade for cut, based on its own cut grade system.

I am pleased today to host a delegation from the American Gem Society Laboratories, and at the appropriate time I will recognize my guests who are present in the gallery.

The American Gem...

Yes, Mr. Speaker, to the Member's question, it is true. We try to do everything that we can to make sure we continue to support the business. Our goal is not to put people out of business, our goal is not to push these things into the legal process. I think it's important to remember though that the onus is on the client to ensure that there is an ongoing dialogue with our department. If the dialogue breaks down, then we really have no choice but to try to get the money back. These are public tax dollars. But I would say we leave almost no stone unturned before we move to legal recourse...

Thank you. After the issue has been studied for quite some time, and quite a bit of comprehensive discussion around this issue, we believe that given current technology, the in situ option that involves freezing is the safest and best, and most advantageous for us. So at this point we are supportive of that, but we don’t believe that this is a walk away solution, and we are hopeful that future technology will allow…We are hopeful that at some point the material, the arsenic could be rendered inert or there would be some safe way to get it out of there and move it. At this point we believe...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get more information and more detail for the Member as to the nature of the concerns and the specific hang-ups between our two governments. I do understand that with the transfer we acknowledge some responsibility for surface cleanup, but not the degree and the level to which we believe the federal government is trying to imply we have. So the dispute surrounds that. As far as specific information on the detail, I think we can discuss that further, but I will get more information.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Minister’s statement today, I’d like to recognize the delegation from the American Gem Society who have come all the way from Las Vegas to visit us. They are: Charles Lacy, who is the chairman of the board for the AGS; Steven Viegler, the CEO; Peter Yantzer, the executive director. Also with them is Martin Irving, our director of diamond projects for RWED. I’d like to welcome you and wish you a productive visit.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a very interesting proposal. While I won't commit to making a policy change at this point or implementing such a scheme, it is something that I would like to take a further look at. I had discussions this morning with the Yukon MP, Larry Bagnell. We had discussions about the need to work collaboratively as three territories to brand Canada's North, or brand the Canadian Arctic. I think we can get more bang for our buck if we work in conjunction. I had certainly indicated to him that I will be reaching out to the Ministers of Tourism in Yukon and Nunavut, to...

It is a very interesting idea. I suppose I would ask the Member if she is proposing that we revisit the "Within Reach but Beyond Belief" message or slogan that we have had on behalf of the Arctic in the past. Is that the suggestion, that we need to sort of retool that and come up with another message? Thank you.