<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>PETTIGREW WELCOMES QUEBEC CITY COMPANY EXPORT SUCCESS DURING OUTREACH TOUR</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>May 23, 2000 <em>(1:00 p.m. EDT)</em></strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>PETTIGREW WELCOMES QUEBEC CITY COMPANY </strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>EXPORT SUCCESS DURING OUTREACH TOUR</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"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."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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).</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">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).</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For more information on the Trade Commissioner Service, please visit the InfoExport
Web site at: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221001339/http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/.">http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/.</a></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Sylvie Bussières</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister for International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
</body>
</html>
