Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the diamond industry in the Northwest Territories is fairly new, less than four years. We have three manufacturing companies and there is interest on how they evolve. There are partners that are going to be buying into the existing manufacturers. We are working on these as we speak. The interest that they have in the current way rough diamonds are acquired is one area we need to concentrate on with the producing mine.
I think there is openness on the part of the diamond mines to work to try and achieve this at this point in time. There is considerable interest at the national level. We have been talking with our Member of Parliament, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, in regard to our concern about the definition of diamonds through the Competition Bureau. We need to do some work at that level.
With the interest and the possibility of diamond mines in Ontario and Quebec, Canada is going to be a major diamond producer in the future. With this developing on all these fronts, we need to work with the federal government to try to come up with a national diamond approach. I think there is work being done. I understand that DIAND had commissioned a diamond expert to come up with an approach on what steps to take.
At the same time, we here in the Northwest Territories have been working towards a Northwest Territories Diamond Manufacturers Licensing Act. I think this is something that we have to do. We have to do consultation on a discussion paper and the next step for RWED would be to proceed towards a legislative proposal to see if there is support from my colleagues in Cabinet. We will then take it forward and share it with the Members. Thank you.