Brendan Bell

Mr. Speaker, that is one of the things that I think will make this ultimately much more successful in the way we approached wilderness camps in the past. We are not looking to set up permanent facilities out on the land. We are not expecting an operator to come with a huge amount of infrastructure. We are supplying equipment which we store. We can set this up for men, women or youth. It is all about the programming and finding elders who are willing to do this. The department will work very closely with those people to make sure that we make this a success. So, yes, I think this can be...

…that Bill 11, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2007, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Eighteenth Annual Report of the Victims’ Assistance Committee of the Northwest Territories, April 1st, 2006 to March 31st, 2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as we go into the business planning process, as the next government sits down to talk about priorities, they will see, from the work that we have done, the reviews that we have in from both the operator and from inmates. By all accounts, this type of program has been a success. There are many other opportunities and avenues that this can take. I expect that we will be able to sit down with committee and talk about where they would like this programming to go. This, in fact, was a pilot in the Sahtu region. We did this pilot with the hopes that it would be successful and that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, let me thank the Member for his work in seeing this camp become a reality. In the 2006 winter season, the Member worked very hard with Charlie and Laura Tobac to encourage them to put forward an application to develop such a camp. In the 2006 season, we had a six-week program. In the 2007 winter season, we did the same. We are looking forward to similar programs as we go into this year into the winter program. We bought the equipment and we are lending that to the camp facility and then storing it in the off season. It is working very well. We are working...

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure at this point whether ATVs are allowed in any area of the park in any capacity. I will find that out. We will discuss this with the committee. I think we need to ensure that protection is upheld, as the Member has pointed out, and, as we establish these rules, criteria and this plan to protect the park, we will do a communications plan to make sure that everybody in the region and anybody coming in from outside the region knows the rules of being able to enter the park. It is obviously very vast. It is hard for us to police and protect in that manner, but we can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to applaud the Member and the Premier and others who took that opportunity this summer to trek through the Canol Trail. I believe they have one segment left next summer. I am sure we can have a reunion to see that last third completed. Mr. Speaker, we are certainly moving forward to see a territorial park created there. Of course, there are land transfer issues, DIAND. There is a park committee that has been set up to watch over that and handle that administration. There are a number of steps here. I don’t have the latest in terms of the discussion with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I am pleased to inform the House today that the Government of the Northwest Territories and De Beers Canada have reached agreement regarding the provision of rough diamonds from the proposed Gahcho Kue Diamond Mine, currently in the environmental impact review process.

The agreement will ensure continued support for our secondary diamond industry by making available 10 percent of diamonds by value from the proposed Gahcho Kue Diamond Mine for sale to approved NWT diamond manufacturers.

To ensure the continued integrity of our government...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, we will talk to the committee, as I have mentioned. Obviously, we would prefer that the people entering the park use other means that weren’t as disruptive. I understand that the Premier and the Member were on horseback. I applaud them for that. I think that is a very good step. I also understand that there was some walking going on, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

That is a rumour. Yes, we will take a serious look at this. There will be a response and some follow-up and I will get back to the Member. Thank you.