Ontario PC Caucus challenges Government to do more for tourism

On May 16th in the Ontario Legislature, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Caucus initiated a full afternoon of debate to promote Ontario ’s tourism industry. Calling upon the McGuinty Liberal Government to cease its policy of indifference to tourism, the Conservatives drew attention to the challenges that the people in tourism are facing in the coming year.

Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott is the PC Tourism Critic.

“We need to acknowledge that Ontario tourism has unlimited potential for growth,” Mr. Arnott told the House. “But it is facing enormous immediate challenges, including the possible passport requirement at the Canada-U.S. border; a stronger Canadian dollar…, higher provincial taxes, including the Government’s new health tax; higher gasoline prices; higher hydro rates; and higher natural gas prices among others.”

Mr. Arnott devoted a major portion of his presentation to highlighting the exciting tourism experiences in Ontario , especially those in and around Waterloo-Wellington.

“Waterloo-Wellington, the riding in which I live and am privileged to represent in this Legislature, is no different. I think of Elora in Centre Wellington Township , St. Jacobs in Woolwich Township and Drayton in Mapleton Township , all of which have packaged their local attributes into strong tourism-based economies,” Mr. Arnott said in the Legislature.

“I think of our festivals, like the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games; the Fergus Truck Show, North America's largest truck show; the Reminiscence Festival in Fergus, celebrating the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s; the Elora Festival, the finest summer music festival in Ontario; Drayton Entertainment, with their theatre stages in Drayton and St. Jacobs in Waterloo-Wellington, as well as the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend and the King's Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene; the St. Jacobs Country Farmers' Markets, the Waterloo County and Area Quilt Festival; the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival; the scenic areas around the Grand River; our many public and private campgrounds; our fine golf courses; snowmobiling in the wintertime; the Wellington County Museum, Doon Heritage Crossroads; our fall fairs; and of course Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest,” he added.

During the course of the afternoon, Mr. Arnott participated in the debate with a Member’s Statement, a Question to the Minister of Tourism during Question Period, and a longer speech during the Opposition Day debate. As one of the Assistant Speakers of the Legislature, he also presided over much of the debate from the Chair.