Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week saw a meeting of the joint territorial/federal task force on value-added diamond industries here in Yellowknife. It was obvious to me, Mr. Speaker from reports on the meeting, that by sending only one of the three deputy ministers that are on the task force, that the federal government might not consider this process to be as high a priority as we do.
I wonder how much federal development money would be available to create value-added diamond industries if this diamond find was in Ontario or Quebec where nearly 200 of our federal representatives originate from, as opposed to our two Members of Parliament from the Northwest Territories. What Canada has to realize is that the more economically self-sufficient the north is, the less we have to rely on the resources of Ottawa and the rest of the country. I hope the diamond companies do not think that we are overstepping our bounds and dabbling in issues that no government has the right to be involved in a free-market economy. I heard, Mr. George Burne, the manager of the newly established De Beers presence in Canada, tell us this weekend that we should concentrate on diamond mining and leave everything else up to the professionals. Mr. Speaker, we are far too accustomed to the paternalistic attitude of Ottawa when it comes to charting our own course and being involved in where we want to take our northern economy.
Mr. Speaker, I have seen no quantifiable reports, studies or any other evidence that would convince me that value-added diamond industries would not flourish if located in the Northwest Territories. I see no major or insurmountable hurdles at the territorial, municipal or federal level that cannot be worked out in conjunction with the diamond producers and marketers. Mr. Speaker, the western NWT is fighting for our economic future. We have boomed and busted several times. The economy must diversify and expand.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, as the MLA for Hay River, I would like to thank Mr. Burne of De Beers for attending the NWT Chamber of Commerce meetings and banquet this weekend, the NWT Chamber for holding their meetings in Hay River and I would also like to thank the Honourable John Todd for taking the time to come to Hay River, being the keynote speaker for the banquet and also squeezing in several meetings with a number of my constituents and taking Hay River hospitality like a good sport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause