Hon. Karen Sorensen: Honourable senators, I’m proud to join tourism operators in marking Tourism Week. Representatives from the industry are in Ottawa this week, highlighting the contributions tourism makes to our economy, communities and country and what it will have to offer in the future. It’s no exaggeration to say that Canada is powered by tourism. Tourism has created jobs in every province and territory, employing 1 out of 10 workers. Pre-pandemic, the sector created 748,000 direct jobs and supported 2 million more. But the benefits aren’t just economic. From coast to coast to coast, tourism sustains our communities and allows our Canadian culture to thrive as we share our traditions with visitors from across the country and around the world.

However, the sector has had a very challenging few years and is not out of the woods yet. If we want tourism to thrive, we need to address labour shortages while also investing in our tourism assets so that Canada can continue to offer the cutting-edge, one‑of-a-kind experiences we’ve become known for worldwide. We also need to support success stories like Indigenous tourism, which is in high demand among domestic and international visitors and is a powerful vehicle for Indigenous economic development and cultural revitalization. As well, we need to promote Canada as a destination at home and abroad and incentivize industry to host their conferences and events here.

I learned yesterday at our event that the Shaw Centre in Ottawa has been rated the number one conference centre in the world, which was so interesting. I didn’t have that tidbit of information.

We were happy to see support for tourism in the most recent federal budget, and we’re looking forward to seeing the government’s Federal Tourism Growth Strategy. Canada’s attractions are world-class, and the beauty of our natural wonders is unparalleled, as is the welcoming spirit of our people. I encourage everyone to join me in standing with our tourism operators as they present Canada to the world.