Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is an important and historic day for the Northwest Territories. This morning, Ministers and several MLA's participated in the sod turning ceremony for the NWT's first diamond sorting valuation facility.
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The facility at the Yellowknife airport will allow BHP Diamonds to sort their production. It is also where the federal government will assess the value of that production, and where sales will be made to qualified and approved northern manufacturers.
Mr. Speaker, the discovery and development of diamonds in the NWT continues to be a momentous time in the history of the north. It is now accepted nationally and internationally that the NWT will become a major producer of diamonds. It has also become widely known that this government is committed to providing northerners with jobs and opportunities in the value added industries. The GNWT appreciates the efforts that BHP Diamonds has made in listening and responding to our interests in providing the maximum benefits to northerners from the mining and production of diamonds.
The BHP diamond sorting and valuation facility is one step along this path. For BHP Diamonds and the manufacturers, the challenge now is to move forward along this path towards the NWT becoming the "Diamond Centre" of North America. Thank you.
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