Cancel NHL deal and spend more on bringing Canadian tourists to P.E.I., Opposition tells province
P.E.I.’s Opposition leader continued to pressure the government Wednesday about the money it’s spending to attract visitors from the United States, taking a new tack on getting the province to scrap its controversial contract with the National Hockey League. The governing Progressive Conservatives’ multimillion-dollar deal with the NHL saw P.E.I. branded as the league’s official travel destination. It has come under fire from the Liberals, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump wages a trade war with Canada and many other countries. During question period in the legislature, interim Liberal Leader Hal Perry asked Tourism Minister Zack Bell if the government would consider cancelling the contract in order to shift more tourism dollars into encouraging Canadians to travel to the Island. Bell didn’t answer that question directly, but said the province is always trying to expand its reach when it comes to drawing in new visitors, including Americans. “If we can tell those people who we are, at least let them be introduced to what we are, then hopefully they’ll choose P.E.I. and spend their money here,” Bell said. WATCH | More questions in the legislature about how P.E.I. will respond to the threat of U.S. tariffs:More questions in the legislature about how P.E.I. will respond to the threat of U.S. tariffs3 hours agoDuration 3:11On the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump was unveiling another slew of international tariffs, opposition politicians in P.E.I. continued to ask for a more detailed game plan. Among their suggestions: Cancel the NHL travel destination deal and spend more to bring Canadian tourists to P.E.I. this summer. CBC’s Kerry Campbell reports. Shortly after that, Premier Rob Lantz also jumped in to reply, calling Perry “anti-American” because of his questions.”We don’t have to go down there, but I am glad to welcome Americans here to spend their money,” Lantz said. “I also want to point out that the NHL contract is a signed contract with a Canadian company that employs hundreds of employees right here in Canada.” No more details on tariff responseThe P.E.I. government has said for weeks that it is reviewing its list of contracts with U.S. companies. On Wednesday, Finance Minister Jill Burridge said “the list is small,” totalling about $4.5 million in spending.While the NHL has a Canadian subsidiary, the league’s head office is in New York. Several P.E.I. cabinet ministers were given a tour there in 2023 in the leadup to the Dennis King government signing the deal with the league.Later Wednesday afternoon, Trump announced sweeping tariffs on the goods it imports from several countries, a move that could cause seismic shifts in the global economy. President Donald Trump speaks in the White House’s Rose Garden during an event to announce new global tariffs late Wednesday afternoon.
