Mr. Speaker, the minister should listen to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. It says that this cut will cost thousands of jobs. In fact, the Hotel Association of Canada has conducted analysis to indicate that this decision will cost the government millions of dollars of lost tax revenue due to the reduction in tourism numbers. Due to the HST, Atlantic Canada will be hit the hardest.
Will the government perhaps consider a private operator for the program or reverse the decision to cancel the visitor rebate program and save thousands of jobs in the Canadian tourism industry?