SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy wanted to know on Monday what the GNWT is going to do to help outfitters survive in case sport hunting is cancelled.

Bob McLeod, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, said he realized the world of "consumptive tourism" is changing and said the government is trying to help outfitters with diversification of their industry.

"We made $5.6 million available over a period of five years so existing operators could look at finding different ways to change their tourism products from consumption to eco-adventure tourism," McLeod said of the tourism diversification marketing program ITI rolled out two years ago.

Abernethy said some outfitters told him the program doesn't suit their needs. McLeod said two outfitters had applied for the tourism diversification funding.

"Others felt they could not change from the sport hunting business and couldn't see fit to changing their product," he said, adding they came up with money specifically for caribou outfitters to help them through the difficult times.

McLeod said the government plans to work closely with the outfitters to find ways for them to diversify.

Diamond polishing a 'sinkhole': Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins questioned what the NWT's diamond industry strategy is on Monday. With a new polishing plant operating in Ontario and a declaration by the provincial government to make it Canada's diamond centre, Hawkins said he is worried the GNWT is letting the opportunity slip away.

"Why hasn't the Northwest Territories taken on the position of becoming the leader for North American diamonds?" Hawkins said.

Hawkins said the diamond-cutting industry has started to look like more of a "sinkhole," and the GNWT must see to it that the industry stays viable.

"Ontario appears to have rolled out the red carpet for both cutting works and industry, and I'm worried what's going to happen here," Hawkins said. "Clearly, the NWT diamonds are no longer the only game in town."

Premier Floyd Roland said he recognized the industry has gone through tough times recently, but said the GNWT has supported the industry by providing training and programs.

"We are not losing the industry," Roland said, adding the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is currently reviewing the NWT policy on diamonds and will be presenting their findings to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure in the future.

Minimum wage hike?

Jackson Lafferty, minister of Culture and Employment, said the government intends to roll out a new minimum wage program by the start of the new year.

Taking questions on Friday, Lafferty said the department has completed their review of the minimum wage and is waiting to meet with a standing committee before it can go forward.

"Once a decision is made at the standing committee level and brought back to cabinet, then we will roll out the program," Lafferty said.

Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro wondered if residents would see changes to minimum wage and Lafferty alluded to some, but wouldn't specify what the government was considering.

Referring to possible increases to minimum wage, MLA Robert Hawkins asked if a two-tier system could be considered to protect younger employees.

"The reality is that many of these younger workers would probably be cut and lost if minimum wage is adjusted," he said, pointing out older, more experienced workers would be hired or kept in favour of less experienced ones.