Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For my Member’s statement today I was talking about Darnley Bay Resources and Diadem Resources who are looking for precious metals and diamonds in the community of Paulatuk, just outside of the community; the night of another promising indicator the results of the recent findings and the demands of a number of groups and organizations to see the Paulatuk community participate meaningfully. Will this government devote necessary resources to train people to build infrastructure needed so the local economy can truly benefit?
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Darnley Bay project is in the early exploration stages and the president and CEO, Mr. Stephen Reford, was in Paulatuk on February 1st and at that time he announced that there would be two drilling campaigns underway in 2011. We’re very excited about that.
As well, Diadem Resources Ltd., which is a 50 percent partner, also announced the results of their diamond drilling on the Franklin diamond project which is located on Parry Peninsula. The results are very encouraging. There are seven diamondiferous kimberlites discovered, including one microdiamond. So the potential looks very good. As the project progresses, I’m sure that, as in other diamond projects, we would work on developing the necessary infrastructure as we go forward.
Similar to the funding provided to the Paulatuk Development Corporation for the purchase of the 20-person movable exploration camp, will the government consider providing funding for the economic ventures that require considerable start-up, such as buying the equipment needed and the training of local people? Other than bringing them in from outside, we want meaningful employment. The diamond mines that we have here in the Territory already do not hire from Nunakput, so we want to train our own so that we can take care of ourselves.
That certainly is the basis for the Sustainable Development Policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories. We’d be very pleased to work with the community as opportunities become real and as the results of the exploration are examined and confirmed.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. We get the training that is needed as we go forward to the project, that training of all positions of these two major projects that I hope to go through with regard to the local hires before the outsiders come in, basically taking care of our local people in the communities in the region of Nunakput.
Mr. Speaker, would this government be able to set up sort of like a mine training exercise up in the Inuvik region? Thank you.
The president and CEO, when he visited Paulatuk, his primary purpose was to lay out the groundwork for the hiring of local people as well as fine-tuning the logistical aspects of the project. We have set up mine training projects with other communities and we would be very pleased to approach the Mine Training Society and work with the community of Paulatuk. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
