Debates of February 11, 2005 (day 34)

February

11

2005

Day

34

Speaker

Word

Members Present

ITEM 1: PRAYER

Assembly Members

Member Default

Hay River North

Member Default

Yellowknife South

Member Default

Member Default

Member Default

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Member Default

Yellowknife Centre

Member Default

Mackenzie Delta

Member Default

Member Default

Member Default

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Member Default

Kevin A. Menicoche

Member Default

Michael Miltenberger

Member Default

Member Default

Member Default

Inuvik Boot Lake

Member Default

Robert Villeneuve

Member Default

Norman Yakeleya

Member Default

Topics

Bill 21: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act

Bill 22: An Act To Amend The Education Act, No. 2

Committee Report 10-15(3): Standing Committee On Governance And Economic Development Report On The Review Of The Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates

Committee Report 9-15(3): Standing Committee On Accountability And Oversight Report On The Review Of The Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates

Member's Statement On Gymnasium Needed In Nahanni Butte

Member's Statement On Medical Travel Policy On Escorts

Member’s Statement On Concerns With Market Housing Initiative

Member’s Statement On Congratulations To The Tlicho People

Member’s Statement On Congratulations To Tlicho People On Passage Of Federal Land Claim Act

Member’s Statement On Lack Of Support For The Secondary Diamond Industry

Member’s Statement On Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Issues And Concerns

Member’s Statement On Readiness For A Mackenzie Valley Pipeline

Member’s Statement On Support For The Dene K’onia Facility In Hay River

Minister's Statement 75-15(3): Royal Assent For Tlicho Land Claims And Self-Government Act

Minister's Statement 76-15(3): 2005 Aboriginal Achievement Award Recipients

Minister's Statement 77-15(3): Healthy Choices And Ski Program

Minister's Statement 78-15(3): Minister Absent From The House

Motion 25-15(3): Appointment Of Chief Electoral Officer, Carried

Motion To Receive Committee Report 10-15(3) And Moved Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried

Motion To Receive Committee Report 11-15(3) And Moved Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried

Motion To Receive Committee Report 9-15(3) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried

Question 362-15(3): Market Housing Initiative In Rae-Edzo

Question 363-15(3): Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Readiness

Question 364-15(3): Gymnasium Needed In Nahanni Butte

Question 365-15(3): Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Development

Question 366-15(3): Unsuccessful Purchase Of Diamond Plant

Question 367-15(3): Medical Services In Colville Lake

Question 368-15(3): Gymnasium Needed In Nahanni Butte

Question 369-15(3): Gymnasium Needed In Nahanni Butte

Question 370-15(3): Conditions For Pipeline Development

Question 371-15(3): Gymnasium Needed In Nahanni Butte

Tabled Document 98-15(3): Package Of Letters In Support Of A Gymnasium For Nahanni Butte

Tabled Document 99-15(3): Letter From Minister Of MACA To The Principal Of Charles Yohin School In Nahanni Butte Re Gymnasium

Written Question 69-15(3): Consumption Of Alcohol

Written Question 70-15(3): Teacher Education Program Graduates

Statements

Member’s Statement On Lack Of Support For The Secondary Diamond Industry

Member Default

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about diamonds. I don’t feel satisfied that this government has given the residents of the Northwest Territories and the Members of this Assembly all the answers to what went wrong with the Sirius factory; why the Leviev Group was denied access to rough diamonds to run this factory. This government is losing millions of dollars on this plant. Where does the blame lie?

This distasteful story raises a number of very fundamental issues. Who takes responsibility for the development of our economy? Is it the 19 of us duly-elected Members of this House or is it the diamond producers? If this government is going to accept the fact that the mining companies get the last word, maybe we should just close up shop and throw them the keys.

I want to assure every person here that I will continue to fight for the independence and the integrity of the decisions and the will of this Legislature and this government. What we have here is a huge disconnect between what the producers are saying and what the government is saying and if you throw in the proponent, the Leviev Group, somewhere in the middle of all of this is the truth. What is the truth? What really happened here? Why was the government asleep at the switch while the deal with the Leviev Group went of the rails, Mr. Speaker?

If the government knew -- and I think they had a very good idea -- why didn’t they step in? Where is our obligation to protect the secondary industry and mitigate our losses? I was shocked to learn yesterday during the Finance Minister's budget address that the secondary industry and the potential economic growth that that would bring to the Territories was nowhere to be found in his budget address, Mr. Speaker.

Boo.

Member Default

No, the producers are in there, but he’s not in there, it’s not in there. He mentioned all producers by name, but did not mention the secondary industry. I hope this omission does not indicate the government's overall view of our secondary diamond industry.

Mr. Speaker, today, later on the order papers, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance with regard to this issue. Thank you.

---Applause