Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be brief with my answer. The most important element of the monitoring program is to ensure that the diamonds that are being marketed as Northwest Territories or northern diamonds are really our diamonds. There is always a risk of diamonds being brought in from somewhere else and being mixed in. The real value of our diamonds is they are good quality diamonds, but second, people like them because they come from a country that has good human rights legislation, does not use child labour, they are not conflict or blood diamonds and so on. We need to make sure the industry maintains its reputation. It is all tied together with having a certification program to ensure we have a clear market for Canadian northern diamonds that will maintain its current high price, which is much higher than the average diamond. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Joe Handley on Northwest Territories Development Corporation
In the Legislative Assembly on June 22nd, 2000. See this statement in context.
Northwest Territories Development Corporation
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 21st, 2000
Page 99
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