Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two Minister's statements I would like to make today.

Mr. Speaker, in this time of fiscal concerns and increasing costs, it is not often enough that we hear success stories.

Today, I wish to inform the House of a good news story.

Recently, an announcement was made concerning a new diamond discovery in the Keewatin region, between Baker Lake and the centre of the universe, Rankin Inlet. Cumberland Resources Ltd. reported that an exceptionally promising diamond discovery on the Parker Lake property has been identified. A total of 1509 micro-diamonds and two macro-diamonds were found in a 22 kg sample.

This discovery is of great interest and importance for a number of reasons:

Firstly, the diamonds were found in a different type of rock than those in the Slave province, north of Yellowknife. Now geologists are going to have to consider looking at other rock types for diamonds.

Secondly, this diamond discovery is in an area of the NWT that has not seen much diamond exploration. It opens up a whole new area of the NWT for diamond exploration.

Thirdly, the initial discovery of these diamonds was funded under the mineral initiatives of the Canada-NWT economic development agreement.

This recent diamond discovery at Parker Lake, while still in the initial stages, will increase the mineral exploration activity in the Keewatin, providing employment and business opportunities for the residents of the area. Perhaps in the future, it could lead to a diamond mine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause