Thank you. I guess I was looking for some sort of formal mechanism because I was trying to sort of look to the solution for future events like this than concentrating solely on what is going on now, but since the Minister has mentioned this, I understand the issues are not just pricing but also assortment of diamonds and selection of them. I think that is the second issue. In that regard, I would be satisfied with just hearing from the Minister as to where we are with this process because I am not so comfortable talking about the details about two companies in question unless, of course, it was brought to this House in a budget. Anyhow, I would like to know if the Minister could update us on where we are with that specific issue.
Another thing about this issue is that I was so surprised to learn that there is nothing in writing about the agreement that the cutting and polishing plants had with a diamond producer. It just floors me that this government worked really actively to set up a secondary diamond industry here. A lot of money went into it. There were lots of guarantees done up, and yet there was no written, formal agreement between a diamond producer and the government, or between a diamond producer and the cutting and polishing plants, as to exactly what the understandings are about the supplies, and assortments, and pricing. Maybe there is one. Maybe it is the question about details, but from my understanding, there is really not anything in writing. I think that should serve as a notice to make sure that does not happen in future with
any other industries or companies that this government gets involved in, whether it is bringing two parties together from outside or not.
The Alaskan housing project went on without a written agreement. In my previous life as a lawyer, I just cannot believe that a government-to-government relationship could happen without things in writing. You would have to really try hard not to have anything in writing. That is one more thing.
I have a question about the breakdown of this new marketing idea Rare in Nature. I have to tell you that, last summer, I was on one of my road trips in a big southern city. I was in a mall. I ran into this humungous poster that says diamonds from Northwest Territories, cut and polished. It was so amazing to see that. I asked a sales clerk if I could take a picture of that poster. I wanted to rip the poster and take it home, but she looked at me funny. I had to get special permission to take the photo of it, but I was so excited about that. I think it is great that there are so many stores, and it is not just a store, but they are very popular and frequented diamond stores, I think Mappins and People's. They are branding and selling diamonds mined, cut and polished in the Northwest Territories. I appreciate that this is a joint venture between the mining industry, the government and the secondary diamond industry, I believe. That is something that is really good, but I would like to know the breakdown of this idea in terms of contribution, because I understand the private industry is putting a lot of money into that. I don't know that for sure, so I would like to know what percentage of that, like what is the total budget for that and how much money are we bringing to that, or what is the percentage that we are getting involved in? I would also like to know if this campaign has resulted in any stars coming up. I would like to know when Brad Pitt is coming to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.