Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have often heard comments that government moves slowly. If you tend to be like myself, I have been accused of being impatient. It seems to me that it moves a little slower sometimes. Last September, Mr. Krutko from Resource Management, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Dent and Mr. Todd and myself took a trip to what is now recognized as the diamond capital of the world, Antwerp, and we also visited London to get ourselves an education on what benefits the Northwest Territories could muster and obtain out of the new diamond industry that was starting in the Northwest Territories. It was not long, Mr. Speaker, before we all realized there was a dream to be had there. We had seen and heard from enough people that there were opportunities that could take place in the Northwest Territories by northerners, with some assistance, that we could be involved in a new industry that would start in the Northwest Territories. Today's announcement by Mr. Kakfwi is extremely good news for all the people of Canada, the Northwest Territories and, in particular, Yellowknife with the announcement that Sirius Diamonds will be setting up an operation here. It speaks well for this government and for the Members who encouraged this government along to create and work on this initiative when there were so many nay sayers. We had come back from London and Antwerp and we had been told by DIAND officials, we had heard from the industry, we had heard from numerous experts, you cannot do that in the north. It is always done in Antwerp.

Mr. Speaker, I think today is a great day for the Northwest Territories and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the president of Sirius Diamonds, Jim Ben-Oliel to the Northwest Territories and anticipate they will have much success here. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just suggest to Antwerp, move over, there is a new kid on the block. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause