Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 30/02) - There will be more than just curlers representing the Northwest Territories at this year's Scott Tournament of Hearts in Brandon, Man.

"It's a Canadian sport with Canadian diamonds," said Scott Paper Ltd.'s Stephen Blythe.

Scott Paper Ltd.'s Stephen Blythe said winners of this year's ladies curling bonspiel will win rings set with Northwest Territories diamonds.

"For our national champions this year, the championship rings will be diamonds from the Northwest Territories."

The Scott Tournament is an annual ladies curling bonspiel. This year's match will be played in Brandon, Man. from Feb. 23 to March 3.

"We worked with a jeweller in Vancouver for a number of years and relied on him to find the stones," said Blythe, but explained that Yellowknife resident Fred Koe asked why Northern ones weren't used.

"But once the question was asked, it was simple. We sourced the diamonds in this region," he said.

Scott will be buying six Sirius Diamonds' gems. Five of them will be set into rings for the four curlers and the team's spare. The sixth stone will be set into a tie clip or pendant for the coach. Sirius diamonds are etched with a polar bear.

Northern diamonds should get a publicity boost from the event. The curling event is televised on stations TSN and CBC.

"They might be looking for some commentary to fill some time. We'll ask them to make a point of the fact the diamonds are being sourced in the Northwest Territories," said Blythe.

Sirius Diamonds will also get publicity during Scott's Cottonelle promotion. The paper company is offering a chance to win 25 pair of $10,000 diamond earrings - a total of $250,000 - with the purchase of Cottonelle toilet paper.