Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement today, keeping the Minister of Transportation and ITI, ITI in this case, busy today. I’d like to start by seeking the Minister’s statement of principled support for the issue I raised earlier. I know ITI’s SEED program identifies value-added manufacturing as a priority sector for program support, so promoting value-added manufacturing is definitely government policy. In this case, does the Minister see the diamond jewellery industry as value-added opportunity and support the development of training programs in the skills of producing fine jewellery incorporating our world-class diamonds with our northern artistic talent? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Going back to the election campaign in the fall, in my election material I had specifically stated in there support for the northern jewellery manufacturing industry. I think, going forward, we have to try to find a way to create jobs in the small communities. In my mind, jewellery manufacturing is one way to accomplish that. They’ve met with a great deal of success in looking at jewellery manufacturing in northern Russia, in small communities. I think, you know, if we put our minds to it, we can come up with a program that’s going to allow us to move forward with a jewellery manufacturing program. Maybe we could start in one community and try to branch out from there. Some of the best jewellery makers in the world started out as carvers. We’ve got an abundance of those here in the territory and very talented ones. Thank you.
I look to the Aurora College calendar and I see a traditional arts program which offers a three-month hands-on course providing the skills to create and market high quality Aboriginal arts and crafts for local, national and international markets, so again, I see an opportunity here for a similar diamond jewellery program, and apparently the Minister does too. I’m glad to hear it. I appreciate that support.
Will the Minister commit to working with his colleague, the Minister of ECE, perhaps including inquiries of Harry Winston Diamonds on the development of a diamond jewellery skills program right here in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.
I believe in getting some work done very quickly on that and working with my colleague not just in ECE but my Cabinet colleagues. We’re going to have to try to find money as we go forward. If we’re going to do a pilot project or something to that effect, we’ll have to work with the Members and come up with a plan on how best to start that jewellery manufacturing. I could see it including diamonds and also other metals that are produced here in the Northwest Territories. I look forward to doing that. It’s something I really believe in. Thank you.
Thanks again to the Minister for those remarks. Of course, the reason I’m focusing on diamonds is because we are already unsuccessfully spending millions and millions of dollars on trying to get a value-added industry, so I’m talking about taking some of those unsuccessful dollars and shifting them into a successful program. Again, the Minister mentioned it’s tough to do this. You know, a real partner might be Harry Winston, because, of course, if we were successful they’d be selling a lot more diamonds.
Of course, our greatest resource here is the artists. Will the Minister commit to ensuring that there is a wide invitation and support for the involvement of our artists from all regions in the investigation and development of any programming? Mahsi.
You don’t develop a program and get it off the ground without seeking the input of the stakeholders involved, and that would include, obviously, the artists in the territory. Again, it’s not something that is going to magically appear in all the small communities out there. I think we have to be strategic in how it’s done and try to at least get something started. Again, I do look forward to doing that. I’ve had some initial discussions with the department and we have to find a way forward. I thank the Member for raising those concerns in the House today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister. I know that he’s onto this. Finally, in the consultation aspect of it, obviously we need to produce products that meet the needs of our sales outlets. In developing any training program we need to start modestly, perhaps one or two artists from each region or something, as the Minister said. Will the department include consultations with the retailers and wholesalers so that skills can be developed to produce a range of products that are relevant and well designed for the marketplace? Mahsi.
Yes, I think that’s an important part of this or an aspect to this. We need to talk to industry, as well, in preparation for a program, a pilot project, whatever it may end up being, but certainly, they’ll play a part in that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
