Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to day to speak about federal assistance to assist the territories, particularly the western NWT, which as we know is hurting with layoffs and mine closures and so on. Last Thursday, I spoke about this a bit. I am not talking about asking the federal government to set a precedent as they provide assistance all the time, and also the Member for Yellowknife Centre touched on it yesterday and actually gave the act under which this is done. Under the act, the federal government has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to the fishing industries on the east and west coast, to farmers on the prairies when there is drought, the floods in Manitoba and to help people when they had ice storms in Quebec and Ontario. We need similar relief for the miners who have lost their jobs and also for the mines to ensure that no more mines close. Of course, this will only be until the gold prices go up. Similarly, in the diamond industry, we need federal assistance. We know that 80 percent of the money spent on diamonds is spent after the diamonds are mined. I am talking about a secondary industry, like we want to establish here.
Mr. Speaker, I am talking about detailed sorting for market, cutting and polishing diamonds. We know that people will come here if there is a proper setting. The mines have also said that they will do more here if we can demonstrate that it makes economic sense. Of course, we are not only talking about taking federal money because the GNWT could and should help here too. For instance, we could train people and help move them to jobs, if we have to. Also, aboriginal claimant groups have claims money which they now invest mostly in the south because there is no investment opportunities here, but they do want to invest in the north. They just need the opportunities. For example, an aboriginal consortium of three aboriginal groups want to put up a sorting facility, and they would invest in other parts of the industry as well. Mr. Speaker, what I am talking about fits both sides of the federal Minister's portfolio because the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs is responsible for both aboriginal people and the north. Federal assistance would help aboriginal people realize their potential and would help us end the days of the north going cap-in-hand to the federal government for most of our money. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.