Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The tourism industry, as Mr. Dent has talked about earlier today and I've talked about on a number of other occasions, is one of our quiet strengths, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to recognize the significance of the contribution that we just approved that will go into the Japanese market. I will also be levering significant funds from the national government, the Government of Canada, in recognition of how important this is.
Tourism is one of those magic industries, Mr. Speaker, that spreads itself across our economy. It's been estimated that a dollar spent by a tourist is a new dollar that comes in and it makes its way up to seven times across the restaurants, the taxis, everyone who provides a product.
We need to be aggressive, not only to win the tourism market share, but to keep it. Mr. Speaker, the ecotourism and cultural tourism sectors really are the ways of the future. This fall, I had the pleasure of experiencing three days on the Barren Lands about 300 miles east of Yellowknife to enjoy and experience and sample this rare and this wonderful product that we have out there. It went far beyond just looking at the magnificent natural wildlife of the caribou and muskox, but there was tremendous evidence there of the Dene culture and the trapping from the early days.
I was very interested, Mr. Speaker, to talk to the other guests who were there, mostly American, to find out why they wanted to be here. Well, besides their passion for photography or the wilderness, Mr. Speaker, they like Canada -- of course they like our dollar compared to theirs -- and they like our style. Our tourism product is a great strength. It gives us diversity. The operators and the owners who believe in it, who have invested in it, are passionate about it. I'm very pleased to see that at least on this occasion we were able to match that with some investment.
Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to conclude my statement.