Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, from the Minister’s statement on tourism in the Northwest Territories, he made reference to the millions of dollars being spent in the Northwest Territories. I wonder if the Minister could tell me how many dollars were kept in the Northwest Territories. They may have spent millions of dollars in the Northwest Territories but in a rough estimate, how many dollars were kept in the Northwest Territories as a result of the figures that he has given us? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Brendan Bell

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not sure I'm clear or maybe I just don't understand the question. The money generated, the additional GDP generated in the Northwest Territories, I have given the Member those figures in the statement. Those are some projections for the 2004-05 season. We believe that the vast majority of that money stays in the Northwest Territories. Obviously there is some leakage. I don't think that we are able to quantify what the leakage would be, but it would be no different than any other jurisdiction, I don't believe, in that most of the money probably stays and is spent and circulates in that jurisdiction. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister has answered the question partially. I will follow up later on with that question privately. The question I guess I want to ask the Minister also, in terms of the creation of the new Department of ITI, and giving industry a new profile within this government and within the industry of tourism, what is the government committing to do to work with the aboriginal governments in terms of giving the profile of industry in the Northwest Territories? What type of commitment has he given the aboriginal governments in the regions to heighten the new profile with ITI?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Bell.

Further Return To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Brendan Bell

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. One of the things that we sought out to do when we sat down to do our analysis of roles and responsibilities of the department, vis-a-vis the industry association, was to better understand who is doing what currently, to talk about who should be doing what and to address some gaps.

One of the gaps that we felt in tourism in the Northwest Territories was regional representation; in fact, regional impact on the ground across all regions of the Northwest Territories. We think that there are compelling arguments to be made for tourism money to be spent everywhere and that everybody should have an equal chance to develop their industry. We think that a lot of product development needs to take place in many of our smaller communities. We are proposing a new tourism funding model. We are talking to industry about that; I have met with committee about that as well. One of the pillars is to ensure regional representation on a new destination marketing organization.

We haven't, I guess I would say, crossed the t's and dotted the i's yet, Madam Speaker, but we are working on a model that we think will be as representative as possible of both sectors and regions. I think that is a very positive step. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The funding model that the Minister has alluded to, also speaking to the tourism industry I guess my question is not so much the tourism industry but what types of discussions is he having with the aboriginal governments in the regions in terms of this model? It may have some consequences to the land claim settlements in some of the regions that have settled the comprehensive land claims. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Bell.

Further Return To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Brendan Bell

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We believe it is an enhancement of the current model and will allow for additional funding to flow into regions, but we talked about working with our tourism partners, by sector, and with regional and community organizations in order to make sure that tourism money is able to best hit the ground. Obviously, we will be talking with aboriginal governments and the relevant organizations in the regions to talk about how we can best achieve that. So going forward as we sit down with committee and industry and have a better handle on what this model will look like, we will be meeting and discussing this with all the relevant stakeholders and regional organizations. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the point I would like to ask questions on is to the input from the regional organizations, more importantly the regional governments in the Sahtu, or the aboriginal governments that have a high stake in seeing tourism flow into our region. What can the Minister commit to in the next couple of months in terms of ensuring that the aboriginal governments will be part of this model that could used in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Bell.

Further Return To Question 52-15(4): Tourism Revenue Kept In The NWT

Brendan Bell

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can give the Member my assurance that this will be absolutely an inclusive model that people right across the Northwest Territories will be able to take advantage of. The tourism sector will be broadly represented. All communities and regions will have representation in the new model. In terms of new money, we are talking about going forward with the business planning process and will handle that in due course with communities to talk about what will be appropriate. Obviously there are some decisions to be made as a government and as a Cabinet. In the coming months, as we sit down to do our business planning and it gets underway with committees in earnest in September, we will have a lot more discussion on how we should approach this. Thank you, Madam Speaker.