NEWS RELEASES

November 5, 2001 (5:10 p.m. EST) No. 150

PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES SEMINARS ON DOING BUSINESS

WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT

International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced an initiative that will help Canadians sell more effectively to the United States government. The series of cross-country one-day seminars is being launched by the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) in partnership with provincial governments and leading business associations.

"This seminar series is designed to give Canadian exporters an edge when doing business with the U.S. government," said Minister Pettigrew. "Facilitating trade with the U.S. is a top priority for our government and we will continue to work together with the Canadian Commercial Corporation and others to that end."

With annual purchases in the billions of dollars, the U.S. government is the world's largest consumer. Canadian companies will be able to find out how they can tap into the supply chain for this $100-billion-plus annual market.

American officials from the General Services Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Defense Contract Management Agency of America, and the Department of Defense, and Canadian representatives from the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, the Department of National Defence, and the CCC will discuss the ins and outs of selling to the U.S. government.

The seminars began today in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and will be held on November 6 in Woodridge, Ontario, November 7 in Montreal, Quebec and November 8 in Calgary, Alberta.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Sébastien Théberge

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Claudia Lemieux

Canadian Commercial Corporation

(613) 995-5281

fax: (613) 995-2121

e-mail: clemieux@ccc.ca