David Ramsay

That is exactly what MLA Blake and I were doing on our recent trip, is trying to talk to producers to ensure that rough diamonds are available here in Yellowknife. Again, that’s my goal as Minister, to get agreements in place that will see that happen. We’re looking at Gahcho Kue and, again, the landscape has changed with Harry Winston purchasing BHP, it’s going to be called Dominion Diamond Mining now, and the prospect, I know Rio is interested in looking at their operation when it comes to diamonds. There’s a prospect there that one company could own both of those mines and that certainly...

As plans for the establishment of that mine move forward and it gets through the regulatory process, we will certainly be ramping up discussions on that specialized economic zone. We are also looking at the possibility of putting wholesale power into that area, as well, to make it more economical to have a hydro facility and the jobs coming to the South Slave region. So we continue those discussions. We want to see the regulatory process play itself out. Again, we do look forward to the jobs and the opportunities that such a development would bring.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, we could look at putting a separate line item for that. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been discussing, with Avalon, their plans for the development of a mine at Thor Lake for a number of years now. Last October Cabinet gave us the mandate at ITI to look at the establishment of a socio-economic agreement with Avalon. We are currently in negotiations with Avalon on a socio-economic agreement and we hope to see that agreement put in place within the next several months. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe composting can play a very big role. We were just down in Hay River this fall opening the egg grading facility there. I had an opportunity to tour the chicken barns that are there, and the amount of manure that is produced from those barns and how that’s going to be used as compost into developing other types of agricultural development in the South Slave. It was something that was very interesting.

I think there is a role for composting in communities that can take a look at it, and it is something that I know we have an agreement with the federal government...

Thank you. Any chance I get. Today it was at least three times. Any opportunity we get to let our federal colleagues know about what is happening in the Sahtu. Again, we have the National Energy Board here today. I met earlier today with the BDIC through my department at ITI. We really are getting the word out about what is happening there.

There’s going to be close to $700 million spent in the Sahtu in the coming few years. So we need to ensure that we are answering that call and we intend to do just that.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We continue our work on developing guidelines for hydraulic fracturing here in the Northwest Territories and we are going to make sure that we get it right. We’ve engaged a number of experts in the area and, in fact, even today had a meeting with the National Energy Board here in our Legislature. Also, last week we were speaking to the Government of Alberta through Minister Ken Hughes, the Minister of Energy in Alberta.

There are a lot of folks out there that want to help make sure that the Northwest Territories gets this right. We’re also following developments out...

I do, thank you.

Again, we will run this past our lawyers and we will find out if we can provide that level of detail to the Member. Whatever we can provide to the Member, we will give to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. When DOT awards a contract, obviously they are going to go back to the company that won the contract and do a technical review of the information that was provided in the tender documents to ensure the due diligence is done to ensure the work can be performed as stated in the tender, and in the case of the electrical contract for the bridge, that was done. We haven’t had Can-Traffic do work for us before, so we were extra diligent on trying to find out and get the references, and do that technical review before that contract was awarded. Madam Speaker, any information...