For the time being, the role played by Economic Development Canada and Minister Joly mainly involves the regional economic development agencies. This includes Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. That said, this relationship could be further developed.
Last year, the agencies began to manage the Canadian experiences fund, which is aimed at tourism, primarily cultural tourism, indigenous tourism, winter tourism and other sectors, but not festival-related event tourism. We would very much like event tourism to be recognized, in general, as a pillar of tourism. The problem is that, at the moment, festivals and events are often considered to be part of the cultural sector. However, we forget that they are important economic and tourism engines. That is what needs to be recognized.
Earlier in my speech, I mentioned the Marquee Tourism Events Program, which was introduced in 2009-10. We hope that a version 2.0 of this program will be implemented to revive not only the events and festival sector, but also everything that revolves around it. Obviously, this would target artists, but also restaurants and hotels, which will be in great need of such an intervention after the crisis.