The member for Sault Ste. Marie raises a great point. I’d like to thank him, and I’m happy to hear that the $185,000 provided to Indigenous Tourism Ontario through our Reconnect Ontario program achieved the intended result. This Weekend for Truth and Reconciliation in Sault Ste. Marie was one of the several Indigenous festivals and events we are supporting. This year, more than half a million dollars has been provided for events across Ontario.

I agree with the CFO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario, who recently said, “Indigenous tourism is no longer an emerging market. It’s one of the sectors consumers are demanding when they travel in and to Ontario.” That’s why we’ve invested $1.65 million since 2018 to Indigenous Tourism Ontario to create and encourage visits for operators and jobs and business communities. We will not stop working towards our goals and working with them.

Just a few weeks before, I toured Manitoulin Island to announce $300,000 to Indigenous Tourism Ontario through the Pan-Regional Fund to support unique and authentic experiences in our province. “ITO is extremely thankful for the fantastic contributions provided by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport,” ITO’s CEO and president said during the announcement. “We couldn’t continue our work to improve the socio-economic conditions of Indigenous people through tourism without support like this.”

We will continue, as I said earlier, to show our support and act behind it.