HONG KONG, CHINA (September 20, 2012) – Premier Bob McLeod, MLA Robert Hawkins, Chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure, and the NWT business delegation met with potential Chinese investors and business partners to discuss ways to diversify the NWT economy and keep the territory prosperous. The meetings have focused on the potential for developing the Chinese markets for the NWT’s wild fur, oil and gas.

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Thank you Consul General Savone, and Premier Selinger.

Thank you to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, and to everyone who is here today, for this opportunity to meet, learn and share.

I am very pleased to be here in Shanghai to speak on behalf of the Canadian Premiers participating in the Council of the Federation Mission to China.

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I am pleased to be here to talk to you about tourism opportunities in Canada and in the Northwest Territories. I would like to thank the Canadian Tourism Commission for organizing this event and for the work it does to help promote Canada as a tourism destination around the world and especially here in China.

This is a great loss to Canada. Premier Lougheed was a great man and role model to many throughout our country. He was a visionary who believed that by working together, all Canadians could succeed. His tireless commitment to ensuring that Albertans would be the primary beneficiaries of the development of their own resources has been a model for me personally as Premier of the NWT as we negotiate a final devolution agreement that will give our own people control over and benefits from resource development.

BEIJING, CHINA (September 14, 2012) – Premier McLeod spoke at the Canada China Business Council today as part of a premiers’ panel to encourage foreign investment in the territory’s mining, oil and gas, and hydro industries.

I am pleased to be here in Beijing to speak to the Canada China Business Council about investment opportunities in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

The Northwest Territories economy has been built on luxury items – furs, gold and now diamonds. From the earliest days, our trappers provided beautiful, thick furs to buyers all over the world. They still do that. Wild fur from the Northwest Territories is of excellent quality and always in high demand at fur auctions. That makes us an ideal source of fur to supply China’s world leading fur garment industry.

YELLOWKNIFE (September 12, 2012) – Premier McLeod and members of the NWT delegation taking part in the Council of the Federation (COF) trade mission to China are scheduled to participate in the following planned meetings and events:

Beijing – September 13-16, 2012

September 5, 2012

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VANCOUVER (September 5, 2012) -- Premier Bob McLeod and Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Michael Miltenberger are attending the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy, the preeminent forum for water policy study.  Premier McLeod will speak about the NWT’s approach to collaborative management of natural resources and balanced, sustainable development. This approach creates economic opportunities for the people of the NWT while ensuring northern conservation priorities are met.

YELLOWKNIFE (August 31, 2012) – Premier Bob McLeod met with Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Herb Norwegian on August 27. This was the first meeting between the two government leaders since Grand Chief Norwegian’s election in June.  The agenda included devolution, the Wildlife Act, land use, and the flood in Nahanni Butte.