Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Is the Minister aware of the Alexandra Falls recent designation as one of the top three waterfall destinations in western Canada and what is being done to recognize this award? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been getting a lot of accolades lately for our waterfalls here in the Northwest Territories. I know the Member spoke of Alexandra Falls earlier today as well as Virginia Falls. Certainly in the South Slave region with the Waterfalls Route along Highway No. 1, we have a tremendous opportunity to market that award and certainly look forward to if the Member has suggestions or Members have suggestions on how we can enhance and promote that waterfalls route, we’d be happy to hear those suggestions. As far as the department having any specific plans to build upon that award, I certainly will be working with the department to ensure we get everything we can out of that accolade. Thank you.
I like the idea of trying to build up on the positive. What is being done to enhance tourism in the Deh Cho, including Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park in 2014, this upcoming season? Mahsi.
Thank you. We have the Deh Cho Connection, which is a partnership with Alberta and British Columbia on the Deh Cho Trail. We continue to build upon that. There’s a diamond giveaway on an annual basis and a passport system that folks get stamps along the route. That’s one way that we promote the opportunities to camp and visit our parks and attractions in the South Slave part of the territory and also into the Nahendeh riding as well. Thank you.
Thank you. Will the department work with NWT Tourism to assist their work to promote the waterfalls highway and the Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park? Mahsi.
Thank you. I’ll certainly talk to my officials at ITI and Northwest Territories Tourism to see how we can build upon that accolade for the waterfalls route, Alexandra Falls. We certainly have the attractions, we just have to do the best we can to market those and attract more people here. That’s exactly what we’re going to do. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister had indicated an effort to market some of the wonderful tourism and parks that we have in the NWT. I wanted to get an indication of when we can expect an effort to market similarly to try to promote the Deh Cho Bridge. Are there any plans for that? Mahsi.
Thank you. In my former life as the Transportation Minister I know the Member was very interested in the Deh Cho Bridge, what it meant in terms of tourism opportunities for the community of Fort Providence in his riding. I really do believe that that bridge has tremendous potential to bring tourists to his community and to his riding. Certainly, if there are opportunities to work with the community of Fort Providence to maximize the opportunity to attract people to the riding and to the community of Fort Providence, that’s something we’re very much interested in. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
