Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have all been glad to see how tourism has grown in the Northwest Territories in recent years. Being a world-class tourist destination is not only great for the economy, it's also a point of pride for us Northerners, who love the splendour and beauty of the people, cultures, lands, and waters of this place we call home.

This came about from strong initiative and vision from some of the original tourism operators, people who struck out on their own when the idea of tourism marketing was in its infancy. Government shared in that vision and offered significant support for marketing the NWT as a spectacular tourist destination. Now, it's a reality, and you can't go anywhere in this town without tripping over herds of royal blue and bright red parkas.

Mr. Speaker, this boom has a result. The number of tourism operators is growing rapidly, and our government is appropriately supporting this new sector. For example, we have opened up Loop C at Prelude Lake to provide operators with a new place where their clients can take in the aurora. That is great for new operators, but it does raise some concerns, Mr. Speaker. When does support for industry become an unfair subsidy? Operators who years ago made huge investments and built this industry from scratch may be legitimately upset that up-and-coming competitors are being subsidized by public money. Then there is the question: with all of this new interest, so many operators here, how do we spread the wealth outside the capital? How could we take advantage of the increased interest in this industry to encourage new opportunities in other spectacular parts of the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, this new successful sector capitalizes on the wonderful qualities of our unique location in the world. We need to take steps to protect our world-class Northwest Territories brand. The industry must be managed to make sure that the people selling and marketing the NWT as a destination are doing so with respect for our land, our cultures, and our people. That way, we can assure that success continues for future generations. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.