Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to thank the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine, for offering me the opportunity to travel with Mr. Antoine to the World Diamond Conference in Antwerp, Belgium, October 7th and 8th.
Mr. Speaker, our diamond industry, although young, has placed us on the world map in regard to the diamond industry in the Northwest Territories. For myself, Mr. Speaker, the highlight of the trip was meeting the former vice-president of the United States, Mr. Al Gore, and having an opportunity to speak to Mr. Gore on issues that affect the Northwest Territories, especially the Arctic.
In our discussions, which were about 15 minutes, I had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Gore about the Arctic National Refuge and what his position was on the matter. He fully supports not opening up the refuge to oil and gas development.
Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I was amazed at Mr. Gore's information and knowledge about the Arctic and the effect with regard to global warming, and how it is affecting the Arctic, the people of the Arctic, and the world as we know it.
Mr. Speaker, in our discussions between myself and Mr. Gore, we spoke about the effects that we are seeing in the Arctic with regard to what the people in the Arctic are seeing in regard to the weather patterns and the effects on our ability to move, hunt, trap, fish. Yet, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that ourselves as government, that we take the time to reach out to world leaders and make them aware of the effects other countries have on ourselves here in the Northwest Territories.
In our discussions with Mr. Gore, I made an attempt to access more information in regard to global warming from video tapes that were developed from the people in Sachs Harbour to what we are seeing in regard to our wildlife boards, our wildlife patterns that are out there. Mr. Speaker, most importantly, is the intelligence and the opportunity that we take when we travel to different places around the world.
For myself, Mr. Speaker, this is the opportunity of a lifetime and I am glad the Minister is giving me the opportunity to travel with him on this trip. I do look forward to corresponding with Mr. Gore in regard to global warming and the effect on the Arctic and the people of the Arctic. Thank you.
-- Applause