Some Hon. Members

Hear, hear!

O'Brien

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger, you are included in my good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working closely with the new Premier of Nunavut, Mr. Okalik, and his cabinet, and also all the new regular MLAs. I look forward to working in a cooperative manner that will serve all the people of Nunavut. Mr. Speaker, there is much work to be done in order to get Nunavut off to a good start. In order to accomplish this, we will have to work closely with our neighbours and good friends, the GNWT. We have numerous contracts that we have entered into that will, hopefully, benefit both new territories. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the secondary diamond industry, which is possible in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, recently I attended the opening of the BHP sorting facility and was reminded of all the hard work, the speeches, the threats, the cajoling that we had to do in order to get that sorting facility here in a community. I also attended Diavik's environmental hearings and made a presentation there. I indicated that the NWT should benefit to the maximum extent possible from our diamonds, and that over 80 percent of the benefits occur after the diamonds are actually out of the ground, through a secondary industry such as cutting and polishing of diamonds, jewellery, cottage industry.

Mr. Speaker, a secondary industry in the north could mean hundreds of jobs and new businesses. These types of things would be different from mining jobs because they make money here, they spend their money here, and they pay their taxes here. I might add that these businesses and jobs could be in Hay River or Fort Smith or even Yellowknife, and I must say that they would be different from mining in that the mining jobs are often fly-in and fly-out, meaning that no money is spent here, and the income taxes are paid wherever their province is.

In order for this secondary diamond industry, Mr. Speaker, we need a steady, reliable source of rough diamonds. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to ensure that the north gets this from our own diamonds, and that is because we do not control our resources, so we have to rely on the federal government to do this; just as we rely on them to take most of the royalties and the benefits from our diamonds. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would urge the federal government to do what it has to, to ensure that we get a steady, reliable source of rough diamonds, whether it is through legislation or otherwise, and I also urge this government to keep the pressure on the federal government to ensure that we get the maximum benefit possible from our diamonds. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, may I just add my congratulations along with my honourable colleague, Mr. Ningark, King of Natilikmeot, to the new MLAs-elect and the Nunavut government, and add my congratulations to, of course, the Premier-elect, Mr. Okalik. I particularly would like to congratulate, if I may, Jack Anawak and Mannie Thompson, who are going to represent my riding in the future. I have every confidence both these people will be able to represent it as well, if not better, than I did in the past. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Steen.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Ms. Thompson.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I would like to thank my constituents from the High Arctic, and it is going to be the constituency of Quttiktumiut under the Nunavut Legislature. Also, I would like to thank the people who were elected in the Nunavut Legislature, and I would like to welcome the Premier-elect for the Nunavut Government. I would also like to thank the western MLAs for sitting with me in this Legislature, and my other colleagues who were represented in this Legislature. Thank you. (Translation ends)

--Applause