Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this week I talked about the NWTRPA becoming a national, I don’t want to say icon, but it will be promoted at the national level. It’s a great opportunity for this government to get messages out there to get tourism on the national front, much like we did with Arctic Air and we had those NWT Tourism Spectacular NWT during the commercials. So my questions today are for the Minister of ITI.
Is the department doing anything to promote tourism with CBC Television during that special in January like we did with Arctic Air? Is the department in talks with possibly the CBC Television show to get something in the commercials while that special is being aired? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not aware of the specifics on whether or not we are involved, whether NWT Tourism or the department is involved in that. I will endeavor to find that information out, but certainly if there’s a way that we can continue to promote the region and promote the territory through advertising and that is an opportunity for us, we will certainly take a look at that. Thank you.
I know we’ve done a lot of investment and a lot of work with the Arctic Air production, like I said, doing all those commercials.
I’d like to ask the Minister if he and his department, in partnership with NWT Tourism, would possibly sit down with the NWT Rec and Parks Association and come up with a promotional strategy. They’ll be developing this air program and also look at when they go down and visit with the Play Exchange group, if they’d be willing to look at some kind of promotional campaign where they all could partner together to get NWT on the national level. Thank you.
I certainly encourage the folks at NWT Parks and Rec to contact our staff in Inuvik, our ITI staff in Inuvik. There are a lot of great things, and the Member really made a great statement today on this. The opportunities here don’t end at tourism, of course healthy lifestyles, and including maybe Health and Social Services and trying to get as much out of this as we possibly can. I really appreciate where the Member is coming at with this. So, if there is a way that ITI can help out, we’d certainly like to be there to lend our support. Thank you.
The NWT Rec and Parks Association represents all of the Northwest Territories. So, in terms of that fact, I’d like to ensure that ITI or NWT Tourism does contact the office here in Yellowknife. It is a made-in-the-NWT event, and like I said, it can be highlighted at the national level.
Is the Minister’s office, working with NWT Tourism, willing to contact CBC broadcasting and see if we can actually get some of those spots during the special to air some of our Spectacular NWT commercials? Thank you
Thank you. Again, I appreciate the Member’s enthusiasm and his ideas. Like I mentioned earlier, I will go back to the department and to Northwest Territories Tourism and discuss that option of airing those ads and how that might all work, and I’ll get some information back to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
