It’s encouraging to hear that we’re, indeed, keeping a vigilant eye on it. I think there are a number of us who are still a bit concerned that we do have some people within that old Retailers Club that are potentially questionable practices. I’ll leave it at that here.
The secondary industry of diamonds is one, and it’s really important to myself not just because it makes up a large part of the Range Lake riding but also for Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories. It’s an opportunity for us to have a rebirth in the industry. Not many times in the course of history one is able to get back into the game, so to speak, and not only just on a national level but on an international level.
Now, the Minister is fully aware that I’ve brought up in the House many times my concern of the 2010 Diamond Policy Framework, which falls into the guise of the mining oil and gas description in this area. My concern is the fact that the framework itself is a very, I call it, umbrella-type statement that deals with the approved diamond manufacturer status and it does not provide what I considered a detailed roadmap, a proper compass heading as to what we need to do to ensure that our rough diamonds do remain here in the North, that we do not have to start shipping up our rough diamonds or boxes out of the country and then to bring them back into our country and bring them back to the North for diamond polishing. It just seems like a very antiquated way of doing business, one in which probably caused the demise the first time of this industry.
So again, I do appreciate the hard work that’s been put into it. I know recently the Minister has undertaken an international tour with one of the Members, Member Blake, and I applaud the hard work of going to places like Antwerp and Belgium and London, as well as Botswana and Gabarun. Does the Minister have the ability to look at this policy to see if there’s improvement so he can reassure not only the people of Range Lake, the people of the Northwest Territories, that we indeed have a proper roadmap, that we indeed have a proper pathway to make sure that we’re doing everything humanly possible to make this industry successful with our opportunity of a second chance? Thank you.