NEWS RELEASES

May 23, 2000 (1:00 p.m. EDT)

PETTIGREW WELCOMES QUEBEC CITY COMPANY

EXPORT SUCCESS DURING OUTREACH TOUR

International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced an important export and job creation deal signed by a Quebec City company during his cross-Canada trade outreach tour.

During a site visit today to Xystos Media Network/Aerobic Technologies Inc., Minister Pettigrew announced the signing of a contract worth over $69 million with Fitness Holdings Worldwide (FHW) to install 15 000 interactive touch screen video terminals in over 400 FHW health clubs. The interactive terminals are the focal point of a wide-ranging information, entertainment and e-commerce network used by health club members.

"I'm convinced that much of Canada's future lies in companies like Xystos Media Network/Aerobic Technologies Inc., building on our brain-power and our proven abilities to compete with the best in the world," said the Minister. "The same is true all over Quebec and Canada. Companies need global markets to grow and prosper."

Minister Pettigrew also announced that a first ever Statistics Canada census of active goods exporters shows extremely positive growth numbers for Quebec exporters. From 1993 to 1997, the number of active Quebec exporters grew by 38 percent from 5 005 to 6 606. This growth rate compares very favourably with that of other provinces and the overall Canadian growth rate of 29 percent.

Mr. Pettigrew emphasized that his Department and its over 500 trade commissioners in 130 missions abroad can help Quebec exporters plug into export market opportunities.

Minister Pettigrew is accompanied in Quebec City by trade commissioners visiting from Canadian consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas and New York to take part in an exporters seminar focussing on the United States, co-organized by Canada Economic Development and the International Trade Centre (for Eastern Quebec).

Canada Economic Development, a member of Team Canada Inc, is active in Quebec through 13 regional offices that provide support for entrepreneurship, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Canada Economic Development and Team Canada were founding partners with Xystos Media Network/Aerobic Technologies Inc. in the design, development and marketing of its products.

Minister Pettigrew also invited Quebec City 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); as well as the Team Canada Mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (November 18 to 26).

For more information on the Trade Commissioner Service, please visit the InfoExport Web site at: http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/.

- 30 -

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