Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.
I have a few questions for our witnesses, but before I ask them, I just want to address something that was said in the prior interventions, particularly by Mr. Blaikie.
I disagree with the conclusion that Mr. Blaikie drew that, because some of the questions weren't answered today, the minister didn't ask them, or that the people advising the minister weren't capable or qualified to provide excellent advice in the crafting of this legislation.
I don't know what questions the minister asked, and I don't know who was at the table in each of those meetings, of course. It's important for us to consider that it's possible—in fact, I think it's likely—that a lot of these questions and many others that we haven't thought of were asked, and that answers were obtained, but they weren't obtained by the officials who are here on this Zoom meeting with us today. These particular folks don't happen to have that information, or they don't recall it. Alternatively, that information was obtained in part by the witnesses who are at this committee, but they don't have that information at their fingertips today.
I can think of several instances where the officials who are on this call trying to answer the questions have said, “Look I don't have that at my fingertips”, but they've committed to getting back to us with that information.
I just want to make sure that we don't jump to conclusions. It's important that this committee gets the answers to the important questions that need to be asked in moving legislation, but it's important that we do not jump to the conclusion that the folks advising the minister aren't capable, or that the minister's not asking the right questions.
I have a question for the Department of Finance officials about the target sectors in this bill, which includes assistance for the tourism sector.
Why is the tourism sector being targeted?