Mr. Speaker, tourism is a significant part of the economy of Erie riding and indeed of the whole Niagara region.
It is an industry with the potential to employ many more people than it does currently and this in an area of very high unemployment. The tourism industry encompasses small to large companies as well as business people of all backgrounds, including youth and seniors. The needs of these people and the tourism industry must be looked at to help them not just to survive but to prosper and expand.
Tourism is a $28 billion industry in Canada. The vast majority of the 60,000 tourist enterprises are small or medium sized businesses. Tourism tax revenues for all levels of government are estimated to be in the neighbourhood of $11 billion annually. This is an important sector of economy.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, I would point out that there was a trade deficit of $8 billion in 1993 with the rest of the world. Approximately $5.5 billion of that deficit was with the United States. We can do better; we must do better.