DTS Parameter Incorrect from VB

I am attempting to load a DTS package from VB.NET. I can load it and can execute it if there are no parameters involved. Also, hardcoding the parameters in the global parameters tab of the package properties and assigning them to the first step works great within SQL Enterprise Manager. However, everything that I have tried when loading into a VB environment comes back with an invalid parameter and the first step failing. I need to pass integer values to the first step (which executes an sp). However, I've tried strings, variants, etc and converting. All giving me the same result. Can someone please help?

pkg = New DTS.Package
Dim cpContainer As UCOMIConnectionPointContainer
cpContainer = CType(pkg, UCOMIConnectionPointContainer)
Dim cpPoint As UCOMIConnectionPoint
Dim guid As Guid = New Guid("10020605-EB1C-11CF-AE6E-00AA004A34D5")
cpContainer.FindConnectionPoint(guid, cpPoint)
Dim intCookie AsInteger

pkg.LoadFromSQLServer("WRCDevDB\DevelopmentDB", "AlvinApp", "1baddawg", _

DTSSQLServerStorageFlags.DTSSQLStgFlag_Default, _

"", "", "", "CreateandWriteEFTFile", Nothing)

pkg.GlobalVariables.Item("ai_eftid").Value = ai_EftID
pkg.GlobalVariables.Item("ai_userid").Value = ai_UserId

ForEach stp In pkg.Steps
stp.ExecuteInMainThread = True
Next

( I read on another posting to execute the step before the pkg identifies the variable, but that didn't work either)
stp.Execute()
pkg.FailOnError = True
pkg.Execute()