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This article was published 5/11/2016 (1417 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON -- The province's Progressive Conservatives are pushing the Pallister government to boost tourism advertising to bring travellers from around the world to Manitoba.

A resolution passed at the Manitoba PC annual general meeting on Saturday calls for the government to "participate vigorously and co-operatively with the tourism industry to provide a worldwide advertising and promotion program" that fully showcases the province's vast recreation activities.

It also urges government officials to ensure that provincial park facilities and programming "meet the need of modern day tourism."

A backer of the motion from Lac du Bonnet constituency said Manitoba lags behind other provinces when it comes to offshore promotions. He said with returns on investment from tourism advertising ranging from $6 to $10 on every dollar spent, Manitoba can't afford not to do more.

"It's a return that an investor cannot turn away from," he said. "Let's invite everybody to Manitoba."

Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen, who is responsible for tourism, told the meeting he agreed Manitoba could do more to promote tourism. He said he's looking forward to continued discussions with the industry.

Cullen pointed out that the PC government is already investing a greater share of tourism revenues back into promotion.

This year, Travel Manitoba saw a $3.1 million boost, while regional tourism activities saw a boost of $300,000 in funding, he said.

The tourism industry generates $1.6 billion worth of economic activity annually in Manitoba, Cullen said. "We think it could be $2 billion in the next four years," he added.

Colin Corneau / Brandon Sun Party members listen to Premier Brian Pallister during the second day of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative party's annual general meeting, Saturday afternoon at the Keystone Centre.

The motion on tourism was one of more than a dozen policy resolutions passed at the party's first annual general meeting since winning the April 19 general election. Nearly 400 party members registered for the two-day event, which ended late Saturday afternoon. A fundraising dinner on Friday night attracted a crowd of 450.

Premier Brian Pallister did not make a major speech at the two-day meeting. He spoke briefly at the banquet and participated in an informal session on Saturday in which a party communications staffer asked him questions as the two sat in easy chairs on stage.

Pallister hinted that Manitoba's entry into the New West Partnership Trade Agreement with B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan was imminent, although he refused to provide any details afterwards. Manitoba's participation in the trade group has long been a goal of the PC party.

Another resolution passed at the meeting urged the government to examine policies to increase the efficiency in which the courts handle child protection cases.

The meeting heard that court challenges by parents resisting child protection orders can drag on for more than a year, during which time children fail to receive the early intervention programming they urgently need.

Families Minister Scott Fielding spoke in favour of the resolution, which came from the rural southern Manitoba constituency of Midland.

He noted that the province's court system is already clogged with cases and that money spent before a judge seeking protection orders would be better spent on programming.

Meanwhile, the provincial Tories also passed a resolution supporting the exploration of an interprovincial energy corridor for hydroelectric sales.

And they urged the government to examine alternatives to funding public education from property taxes.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca