Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by the Member for Great Slave on October 30, 2006, to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, regarding offshore tour packages - GST advantages.

The goods and services tax, GST, and the harmonized service tax, HST, Visitor Rebate Program not only entitles international visitors to a refund of the GST or HST they pay on short-term accommodation and goods they buy to take home, it enables tour operators and convention planners to price the packages they sell in foreign markets exclusive of GST/HST. The result is an average six percent price advantage that allows them to compete against other countries that do the same with their tourism offerings.

• • The Tourism Industry Association of Canada, of which the Government of the Northwest Territories Tourism, NWTT, are members, is lobbying the federal government to retain the Visitor Rebate Program and has plans to bring the issues up again at the annual Ottawa tourism meeting with members and bureaucrats on November 21, 2006. Provincial/territorial tourism associations will be in attendance.
• • The NWTT brought this issue to the attention of the Western Arctic Member of Parliament at his constituency meeting in Yellowknife last month.
• • The GST/HST Visitor Rebate Program will be an issue that all federal, provincial and territorial Ministers will collaborate on at the upcoming Ministers of Tourism meeting in early December when they meet with the Honourable Maxime Bernier, the Minister responsible for Tourism.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.