Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, the total GNWT contribution to tourist associations is in the amount of $616,000. It is comprised of a number of members: the Arctic Coast Tourist Association, $46,733; the Baffin Tourism Association, $68,648; Big River Tourism Association, $104,260; Nahanni Ram Tourism Association, $65,720; Northern Frontier Visitors' Association, $116,960; the Sahtu Tourism Association, $76,876; Travel Keewatin, $61,847; and, the Western Arctic Visitors' Association, $74,956. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

The tourism and parks division also supports development to create employment and income and, I assume, tied in with this are opportunities for training to facilitate training of tourism operators. The trainees assist the zones and the operators in the territories. Currently the Northwest Territories tourism training group is composed of one individual. I have asked some questions over the last few days about the level of funding and support they are getting from this government. I know there will be a meeting some time in the next week or so, the deputy minister is chairing that meeting and other deputy ministers are going to be invited. I understand that currently there is a new EDA agreement and a great deal of money involved for training, but their current funding the tourism training group cannot meet the demands that are expected of them. I am wondering what else is the department doing to support the tourism training group.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, those funds come out of the economic development agreement. Our contribution to that is some 30 per cent. The training is $1.4 million over the life of the agreement. In the next two fiscal years, the group is short about $175,000. I think the Member referred to a meeting that is going to be chaired by the deputy minister of ED&T and at that meeting the government is going to try and address the $175,000 shortfall over the two years. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Tourism and parks, Mr. Koe.

Over the years the tourism section, in coordination with the various zone associations, had tourism plans for each zone. Are there strategies and plans existing for each zone and are they being used as plans and guidelines by the department?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, I mentioned a contribution from the Government of the Northwest Territories to the associations in the amount of $616,000. Each of those budgets which I read out individually, are a result of a work plan budget that has been presented to us. There is a work plan in each of the associations with regard to what they intend to do, how they intend to do it and where they will spend the money. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Tourism and parks, total O and M, $7.608 million. Mr. Koe.

In terms of establishment of parks and the coordination between our government and the federal government in terms of any new parks established in the Northwest Territories, is there a good working relationship with Parks Canada in developing parks in the north?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, many times in the House we talk about the evasiveness of the federal government, or non-cooperation, but I am pleased to report to the House that in this regard Parks Canada works very closely with us and we rarely disagree. They are cognizant of the kinds of things they have to do, the community and local consultation they have to do when they want to put forward a park. I would venture to suggest we have an excellent working relationship with that particular department of the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

There is a significant amount of O and M dollars in this activity, $4.3 million. Over the years I know the department has been actively involved in a major marketing strategy involving people from the south in marketing tourism in the north. Are there still a significant amount of our dollars being utilized in hiring southern experts to do our marketing?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, we have a major contract with regard to tourism marketing with a local company from Yellowknife. If memory serves me correctly, the contract is in excess of $1 million. They are associated with a southern firm and we knew that at the time we made the arrangement with the local company.

As far as using other southern experts, we are finding it is much easier to bring people in to experience different tourism ventures in the Northwest Territories and I am talking about, for example, writers or wholesalers, so they can experience first-hand and then go away and promote the product. We are still bringing in people from the south who we try to indoctrinate and ask them to take the message away with them. That is not costing us a great deal of money. Obviously, when we bring in a tourism wholesaler there will eventually be some percentage to that particular company if they are successful in selling packages into the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is also an activity called "product development" and there are a few people involved with $300,000 or $400,000. My concern is what types of new products are being developed for the north to attract tourists?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, these people are involved in development and they coordinate the licensing and regulatory activity in cooperation with the private sector people. You will recall about one year ago, I was talking about cruise ships in the Arctic and you probably heard today that Blythe and Co. are talking about numerous trips to the Arctic this year. That is one of the areas where they have been looking at new product development. When someone has a new idea on something they would like to do, these people are available to them to suggest whether it is a good idea or to do some research to tell us if it is a good idea. Those are the kinds of activities they do. From the information I have requested from them, I have been impressed with the detail and research they have done on my behalf. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

In terms of maintaining parks and facilities and even developing parks and facilities, is it still the department's intent to try as much as possible to totally use local labour, local experts, local contractors and local goods and services for the maintenance of all parks and facilities in the north?