Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on a number of occasions in this forum, I have raised the issue of jobs and jobs for northerners and the transition from a lifestyle to taking part in business activities. Mr. Speaker, continuing in that area of looking for more jobs and putting people to work and becoming productive, an issue in the community I represent, as well as the region, is in the area of tourism. More and more people, local hunters and trappers, are trying to take an active role in this area because they are the ones that know the land, the river system and the animals, so they have become more and more and involved.

Mr. Speaker, I have brought some information in regard to a comparison between the Yukon government and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Although we are very dependant on new monies coming from people who travel into the north on a yearly basis, we seem to be lowering the amount we spend on tourism advertising and marketing. For example, Mr. Speaker, in 1996-97, a total budget of marketing and advertising for the whole of the Northwest Territories was $1.9 million and in 1997-98, for the west alone, the total budget for marketing and advertising is $593,000.

Mr. Speaker, when we bring in, by our own statistics, it shows that in the NWT, the travel industry brings in, according to a 1994 exit survey, $76.9 million and the NWT Tourism Marketing Strategy showed $133.9 million on a yearly basis. This is an area we need to focus on. We need to show the people who are involved in tourism and the transition from trapping and hunting to tourism, that we support them. I believe this is an area we can focus on. If we are going to draw new money into the Northwest Territories, we have to start spending a bit of money ourselves to attract the people into the territories. Hopefully, this government is looking at this area of how to bring in new dollars, not just recirculating old dollars. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause.