Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of ITI. Mr. Speaker, my question is: cruise ships bring great economic benefit to their ports of call all around the world. How is the department working to maximize the opportunities available for our remote communities from increased marine travel through the Northwest Passage? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year, ITI was up there to help to facilitate, to get the best economic impact from the arrival of cruise ship Serenity. We worked with all the communities and we were involved with the landing of all the ships within the community, and even our announcement yesterday how we can work with the IRC around the seal products of the fur, to be able to sell that to the European markets, so hopefully we have some European people on the cruise ships in this coming year, but we will continue to work with the people in the Members' riding to leverage the best economic benefits from this Crystal Serenity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, it appears that we may not have time to make seal and ivory sales happen for this season unless things happen very quickly. Is the Minister willing to direct the department to work with communities to seek ways to maximize the benefits from summer tourism and in the interim that do not necessarily involve animal products that can develop and diversity the local economy?
As we have tabled in the House, Tourism 2020, there are a number of initiatives there that we can work with all the communities in the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal peoples that want to go into the tourism industry, and I would be glad to sit down with the Member to work with his communities on how they can leverage some of that programming.
That answered pretty much all of my questions. My final question to the Minister is: will the Minister be willing to accompany myself to Ulukhaktok during the Crystal Serenity visit?
I would have to look at my schedule, but I would be very interested in going up there and seeing the impact of the Crystal Serenity docking in these communities, and the economic benefits it brings to the communities.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
