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PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES 2002 CANADA EXPORT AWARD WINNERS

October 7, 2002 (9:30 a.m. EDT) No. 117

PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES 2002 CANADA EXPORT AWARD WINNERS

International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today congratulated the ten recipients of the 2002 Canada Export Awards. The winning companies will be honoured tonight at the awards ceremony at the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters annual conference in Vancouver. During the evening, Minister Pettigrew will announce the name of the winner of the Exporter of the Year Award.

From east to west, the winning companies are:

• Lotek Wireless Inc., St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Spielo, Moncton, New Brunswick

• H. Fontaine Ltd., Magog, Quebec

• NSI Global Inc., Pointe-Claire, Quebec

• DECODE Entertainment Inc., Toronto, Ontario

• General Motors Defense, London, Ontario

• ZENON Environmental Inc., Oakville, Ontario

• Lacent Technologies Inc., Edmonton, Alberta

• SMART Technologies Inc., Calgary, Alberta

• Fincentric Corporation, Richmond, British Columbia

"Canadian exporters play a crucial role in the country's economic growth," said Minister Pettigrew. "They compete in global markets and bring the benefits back home to regions and communities across Canada. They further economic and social development, strengthen local economies and create new jobs and business opportunities for Canadians."

Five of the winning companies will also receive special achievement awards. Lotek Wireless Inc. will receive the Innovation and Technology Achievement Award; Spielo, the Job Creation Achievement Award; NSI Global Inc., the Challenging Markets Achievement Award; DECODE Entertainment Inc., the Smaller Exporter Achievement Award; and Fincentric Corporation, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Minister Pettigrew will also present the Robert L. Richardson Trade Commissioner Service Award for Excellence in International Trade Studies to Tanya Young from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Since 1992, a graduate student in international trade studies from a university in the province where the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters annual conference is held has received the award. This year, the award includes a bursary sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The Department is joined by the following sponsors in recognizing the excellent work of our exporters: Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Export Development Canada, RBC Financial Group, the National Post, Sun Life Financial, Western Economic Diversification Canada and the Vancouver Port Authority.

Next year, the Canada Export Awards program will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The event will be held in November in Toronto in conjunction with the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters annual conference. For further information on the Canada Export Awards, please visit: http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/awards-prix

A news release announcing the winner of the Exporter of the Year Award will be issued this evening.

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Profiles of the winning companies are available on request.

For further information or to arrange an interview, media representatives may contact:

Sébastien Théberge

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/