Mulcair announces plan to boost Canadian tourism

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair's Campaign for Change was in Niagara Falls today, where Mulcair announced his plan to promote tourism in Canada.

An NDP government will attract more visitors from the United States with a $30 million investment, over the next three fiscal-years, in Destination Canada, for its Connecting America campaign. This will support small business owners, as well as create jobs and economic opportunities for our tourism, hospitality and related sectors.

“Our plan for change will create jobs and support economic growth right here in Niagara Falls and across the country, repairing the damage that Liberal and Conservative cuts have done to Canada’s tourism industry,” said Mulcair. “Investing in Destination Canada will help communities and business owners to better promote Canada as a destination for American tourists."

Under Stephen Harper’s plan, the number of Americans visiting Canada has dropped by more than 4.6 million people. Stephen Harper has cut $24 million dollars from Destination Canada, the Crown Corporation responsible for marketing Canada as ‘a premier four-season tourism destination.’ Instead of investing in Canadian tourism, Conservatives spent more than $800 million on government advertising – much of it highly partisan.

"Stephen Harper’s plan isn’t working and it’s Canada’s tourism industry and the good people of communities like Niagara Falls paying the price," said Mulcair. "Like the Liberals before them, the Conservatives are addicted to spending taxpayers' money sponsoring their partisan interests, when they should have been promoting Canada to the world."