Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 17/02) - Jim Antoine, the NWT's minister of economic Development, is furious with Canada's Competition Bureau.

The minister says he will be taking a tough line when he leaves for Vancouver today to attend the World Diamond Congress.

Guidelines issued last year by the Competition Bureau define a "Canadian diamond" as one mined in Canada regardless of where, or under what conditions, it is cut and polished.

"It's saying you can take Canadian diamonds mined in Canada, and send it to India or other places, and polish and cut it there," said Antoine.

Antoine wants the arms-length government body to change its definition of Canadian diamonds to include, those cut and polished in Canada.

The territorial government has been lobbying hard to have all diamonds mined in the NWT to be cut and polished in Northern facilities.

"The thing that really upset me was that the Competition Bureau had a booth in Las Vegas, as well as we did, to advertise our certificate (diamond polishing) program, which was very well received," said Antoine.