NEWS RELEASES
PETTIGREW TRADE MISSION TO AUSTRALIA RESULTS IN $293.7 MILLION IN DEALS
June 1, 2000 (12:35 p.m. EDT) No. 128
PETTIGREW TRADE MISSION TO AUSTRALIA
RESULTS IN $293.7 MILLION IN DEALS
International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today witnessed the signing of
$293.7 million in deals for Canadian firms at a ceremony in Sydney during the Canada
Trade Mission to Australia.
"Canadian trade missions demonstrate what can be achieved when the government and
the private sector work together," said Mr. Pettigrew. "This mission's success raises
international awareness of the high-quality goods and services Canadian companies
have to offer and of the benefits of investing in Canada."
The deals include five contracts valued at $23.7 million and an investment deal in
Australia worth $270 million. In addition, Alcatel (formerly Newbridge) of Ottawa
presented a plaque to Cable & Wireless Optus in recognition of its success in the
Australian market and the co-operation between the two companies.
Minister Pettigrew led the trade mission to Australia to boost trade and investment
between the two countries. More than 25 Canadian business representatives -- most
from small and medium-sized firms -- and two Members of Parliament accompanied the
Minister to Melbourne and Sydney.
Earlier today, Mr. Pettigrew attended an opening ceremony for the Nortel Research
Facility at the University of Wollongong. He also had an opportunity to meet with
students taking courses in Canadian Studies at the University.
Minister Pettigrew will next travel to Darwin to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministerial Meeting on June 6 and 7.
For more information about the mission, visit the Team Canada Web site at
http://www.tcm-mec.gc.ca.
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A list of business highlights, including deals signed during this mission, is attached.
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
Backgrounder
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS DURING
THE CANADA TRADE MISSION TO AUSTRALIA
Canadian Airlines International and Ansett Australia
Canadian Airlines International (Calgary) has signed a contract awarding Melbourne-based Ansett Airlines all Australian ground handling services for Canadian Airlines. The
services include ramp handling, passenger handling, cargo and maintenance. The
contract -- valued at approximately $2 million -- will create approximately 30 jobs within
Ansett Airlines.
In June 2000, Canadian Airlines will launch a series of services to major European and
Asian cities together with an additional number of cities within South America and the
United States. July 4 will see the return of daily Canadian Airlines flights to Australia
after an absence of almost a decade. Close ties have long existed between Canada and
Australia, and Canadian Airlines International is proud to help maintain a continual and
essential link between the two nations.
COGNICASE and Worldschool Ltd.
The Australian subsidiary of COGNICASE (Montréal) has signed a $500 000
e-commerce contract with Worldschool Limited (Sydney). The company is developing
three commercial application systems that support Worldschool's new educational Web
site. The Worldschool site will give students access to qualified personal teachers and
supplementary learning aids via the Internet. The COGNICASE project represents
critical components in Worldschool's on-line learning platform that will extend to a
number of learning markets, including school, tertiary, corporate and professional
training in Australia, North America, the United Kingdom and selected Asian markets.
COGNICASE Australia (Sydney), established in 1995, integrates commercial application
systems with the Internet. COGNICASE is an e-business integrator and
Internet/wireless solutions provider employing 3500 professionals in North America,
Europe and Australia.
Cognos Incorporated
Cognos (Ottawa), a large supplier of enterprise business intelligence solutions, has
operated in Australia since 1985. Cognos Asia-Pacific has been servicing Australia,
New Zealand, Southeast Asia and India from its Sydney office and branches across
Australia. The company has just announced plans to invest more than $270 million over
the next four years to expand its Asia-Pacific and Offshore Regional Headquarters in
Australia, which would see the Sydney office become one of three global headquarters
for the company.
Indigo Pacific, JetForm and Momentum Utilities
Momentum Utilities (Sydney) has signed an agreement with Indigo Pacific (Sydney) to
supply JetForm Corporation (Ottawa) software through its distribution channels as an
integrated component of Momentum's output solutions. This software deal is worth
$200 000 and is the second such contract.
JetForm has operations in 11 countries and a global network of partners. It makes Web-based software solutions that automate business processes and transform them into e-processes to help companies and government to operate efficiently and effectively.
Momentum Utilities is an Australian-owned company specializing in the development,
supply and support of data retrieval and presentation products. With offices in Sydney,
Chicago and London, as well as a network of business partners, Momentum products
are installed and supported in over 200 sites and 70 countries.
Kalevu Systems and Evolution Technologies
Kalevu Systems Inc. (Calgary) signed an Intellectual Property Transfer with Evolution
Technologies (Sydney) valued at $5 million. This deal will create four jobs in Canada
and about 30 jobs in Australia.
Established in 1988, Kalevu Systems Inc. has developed a range of services, including
the high-speed residential Internet delivery system which forms the basis of Evolution
Technologies' network. Evolution Technologies Limited (Australia) was formed in July
1999 to provide high-speed networks in residential unit buildings and cluster housing
offering portal access to residents. It is the first and only organization in Australia
presently cabling domestic high-rise and cluster housing with broadband cable and
switches enabling the company to deliver Internet products requiring significant
bandwidth.
Alcatel and Cable & Wireless Optus
In 1996, Alcatel (then called Newbridge Networks) of Ottawa landed an agreement to
supply Cable & Wireless Optus (Sydney) with equipment for a new frame relay and
automated teller machine (ATM) network to provide high-quality, reliable services for its
banking, insurance and government clients. At a ceremony during the trade mission,
Alcatel presented a plaque to Optus in recognition of its success in the Australian
market and co-operation between the two companies.
Alcatel is a world leader in ATM wide area networking, as well as in the design,
manufacture, marketing and servicing of multi-service, multi-access, multi-protocol
communications networks.
Cable & Wireless Optus is Australia's second largest telecommunications provider
supplying telephone, mobile, television, satellite and broadband services and solutions
to residential and business clients across Australia.
Nortel Networks and PowerTel
Nortel Networks (Ottawa) was recently selected by telecommunications carrier
PowerTel (Sydney) to provide the remote access infrastructure for its nationwide
wholesale service provider network with a contract valued at more than $16 million.
PowerTel will use the new access network to provide dial-up Internet access to Internet
service providers (ASPs) across Australia. Nortel has been pivotal in the establishment
of PowerTel's network to date through the provision of voice switching and transmission
equipment, and the new contract further extends the strategic relationship that exists
between the two companies.
Nortel is a global leader in telephony, data, e-business and wireless solutions for the
Internet. The company has evolved into a successful Australian telecommunications
resource since establishing its first local office in Sydney in 1986.
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