Yes, Mr. Chairman. The member has been very persistent on the excise tax over the years. The department and previous Ministers, have always pursued this issue with the federal Minister of Finance. In the last few months, we've written a letter to Finance Minister Manley and he responded favourably. He was prepared to look at this and he's instructed his department to take a very close look at that whole exercise. I have raised it with the Finance Minister on one occasion when we met. I have lobbied the different federal Ministers that are very concerned and interested in diamond issues. So I think we made a bit of headway in the response from Minister Manley. It is positive in the sense that it is the first time a Finance Minister is saying he's instructing his department to look at it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Jim Antoine on Standing Committee On Governance And Economic Development Comments
In the Legislative Assembly on March 4th, 2003. See this statement in context.
Standing Committee On Governance And Economic Development Comments
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 3rd, 2003
Page 502
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
See context to find out what was said next.