Kam Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

Mr. Speaker, my point is: why is Ontario getting out in front of the Government of the Northwest Territories? Why aren’t we getting a consultant? Why aren’t we doing some meetings? Why aren’t we talking to the industry? Why aren’t we trying to set up a diamond bourse and exchange here in Yellowknife, which is the diamond capital of North America? It’s going to be located on Bay Street, not here in Yellowknife, where it should be, and that’s a shame. Again, we need to be in front of it.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Minister that we have to maximize the return we get from having diamonds here in the Northwest Territories. I think the Minister stated that the work was being done internally and that it is a framework. Yesterday I said that time is of the essence. I think we need to be on this. I also heard the Minister yesterday state that we did have people attend the three town hall meetings in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto as it relates to the feasibility of a diamond bourse. What was the purpose of the Government of Northwest Territories attending those meetings?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak again today about diamonds and how it is that the Government of the Northwest Territories is currently sound asleep when it comes to diamond policy, strategy and vision.

It has been ten years of mining diamonds in the Northwest Territories, and we just have not been as successful as we should have been. I believe we still have tremendous opportunity through the review of the diamond policy, strategy and a firm commitment from this government that diamonds and the secondary industry here in the Northwest Territories are going to be fully supported.

Yesterda...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m going to speak today in favour of the motion. First of all, I think it speaks to the fact that the government…. I can appreciate the fact that they do have $59 million that needs to be spent in, obviously, different areas across the territory. I do appreciate that. But the government has to listen to Members and the concerns that have been raised in this House and from the travelling public. I think we get concerned when money is being spent.

This isn’t deleting every bit of money from Highway No. 5. We’re spending money on a highway that is passable — it is a good...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Like I have mentioned previously in this House and earlier today, time is of the essence here. I don’t think we can afford, as a government, to drag our heels much longer on finding out exactly where it is that we want to take the diamond industry here in the Northwest Territories.

Earlier today I spoke of a feasibility study that’s looking at the possibility of opening a diamond exchange, or bourse, here in Canada. There were meetings held in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Where was the Government of the Northwest Territories in this feasibility study? Were they anywhere to be found?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to discuss the issue of diamonds and diamond policy today. The Northwest Territories produces almost 15 per cent of the global production of diamonds. We are the third largest producer of gem diamonds in the world today.

The city of Yellowknife is known as the Diamond Capital of North America, and rightly so, as we’ve been mining diamonds just north of the city for over ten years. We have four operating diamond mines in our territory. Yet as a government I believe we have been failing to ensure that our territory can benefit as much as possible from our diamond...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

I’ve got one second left to come back and ask the Minister. He didn’t answer the question. I’m not sure if he heard the question, but where exactly is a dedicated stand-alone college campus for Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories? Where is that in the government’s plans today? Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, I’m not an expert in heavy equipment by any stretch of imagination. It’s not like when you look at trucks and vehicles that you drive on the street. Every model year those can change quite a bit as time progresses, but with loaders and graders and dump trucks, I think the mechanical aspects of those vehicles don’t change very much. Again, I stand to be corrected, but if we’ve got a dump truck or grader or loader that’s three or four years old and we paid 30 per cent of the cost that shows up here and it serves the exact same purpose as a new one would, why...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Again, I think those are discussions that should happen. If there are enhancements there that the town wants specific to that new school or schools, they should be coming to the plate with some dollars to get that done.

The other thing I wanted to mention here, in terms of capital acquisition, is the three new pieces of equipment for Fort Smith and for Aurora College. I’m just wondering: why is it that we’re buying new pieces of equipment for the college? Wouldn’t we at least look at second-hand equipment, Mr. Chairman? Why does it have to be new?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to add a few comments to the discussion. I’ve got a few questions as well.

Like many other Members, I’m supportive of the Inuvik school replacement. I have been for a number of years now, since the roof collapsed in 2004, and there’s a need there to replace that piece of infrastructure.

The interesting thing for me, though, is that if it was in the private sector and they needed to replace a piece of infrastructure like this — it’s a big building — it’d be done in the most timely, cost efficient, effective manner possible. What I’m seeing with this project...