NEWS RELEASES
B.C.'S HIGH-TECH SECTOR KEY TO ECONOMIC FUTURE, SAYS PETTIGREW
April 19, 2000 (3:45 p.m. EDT)
B.C.'s HIGH-TECH SECTOR KEY TO ECONOMIC FUTURE,
SAYS PETTIGREW
International Trade Minister Pierre S. Pettigrew today told Vancouver exporters that
British Columbia's future job growth and economic prosperity hinges on export
diversification, and high-tech exports in particular.
Minister Pettigrew made his address before the Vancouver Board of Trade as part of a
cross-Canada tour to promote the importance of international trade to Canada's
economic future. He has visited Montreal, Winnipeg and Calgary, and will also travel to
Sherbrooke, Mississauga, Toronto, St. John's and Quebec City.
"It's no coincidence that B.C. has enjoyed impressive economic growth during a period
of soaring exports, which totalled nearly $30 billion in 1999," said the Minister. "And
British Columbia's high-tech sector has led the way, creating 17 percent of new jobs in
the province in 1998."
British Columbia's high-tech exports totalled nearly $800 million in 1998, helping support
over 46 000 high-tech industry jobs in the province. While in Vancouver, Minister
Pettigrew will tour Mainframe Entertainment Inc., the world's leading producer of
computer-generated imagery animated television programming, including ReBoot, the
world's first fully computer-generated television show.
The Minister also invited B.C. businesses to take part in several trade missions he will
be leading in the coming year. These include: Australia (May 29 to June 2); Russia
(June 28 to 30); the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia (September 11 to
15); Algeria, Morocco and Spain (October 10 to 20); and the Middle East.
Mr. Pettigrew emphasized that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade and its over 500 trade commissioners in 130 missions abroad can help
B.C. exporters plug into export opportunities, providing market research, product
promotion, and services with local businesspeople. The Minister is accompanied in
Vancouver by Canada's senior trade commissioner in Mexico to help launch an
exporters seminar co-organized by the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Canadian
Council for the Americas and the International Trade Centre in Vancouver.
"International Trade has been Canada's and British Columbia's engine of growth in
recent years, and will continue to be so in the years ahead," said the Minister.
"Vancouver stands as one of the world's premier centres for trade, ideally positioned to
benefit from this trade boom, creating and maintaining jobs across the province."
For more information on the Trade Commissioner Service, please visit the InfoExport
Web site at: http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sylvie Bussières
Office of the Minister for International Trade
(613) 992-7332
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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