<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>FEDERAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MINISTERS CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF TEAM CANADA INC</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">October 5, 1998 No. 232</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">FEDERAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MINISTERS
CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF </font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">TEAM CANADA INC</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi, Industry Minister John Manley and
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief today joined forces in a
videoconference ceremony at the third annual convention of the Alliance of
Manufacturers & Exporters Canada in Calgary. The ceremony marked the first
anniversary of Team Canada Inc, Canada's network of export service providers.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"My Cabinet colleagues and I launched Team Canada Inc at last year's Alliance
convention," said Mr. Marchi in Calgary. "And today we are celebrating one year of
significant achievements in streamlining and strengthening the delivery of our
trade and investment promotion services to the business community. Team Canada Inc
is building on the spirit of innovation and partnership that characterizes the
Prime Minister's Team Canada missions." </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The three ministers created the Team Canada Inc network last year to provide
single-window access to government trade services. The network has since expanded
to include 18 federal departments and agencies working in close partnership with
the provinces to lead Canadian businesses into global markets.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"Access to Team Canada Inc is available 24 hours a day through the ExportSource
Web site," said Mr. Manley in Ottawa. "Our business clients tell us that the site
provides them with a practical and efficient source of information on government
export promotion services. ExportSource is also an excellent example of how
Canadians are using technology to connect with each other and with the
international marketplace." </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"The Agri-Food Trade Service component of Team Canada Inc and the linkage it
provides to the broad range of government export promotion services, including
Canada's Trade Commissioner Service, is pivotal in building bridges to foreign
markets," said Mr. Vanclief in Montreal. "Canada's agri-food sector recorded over
$22 billion in exports last year and the Team Canada Inc partnership was central
to that success." </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">During the videoconference, the three federal ministers also signed a memorandum
of understanding with the Alliance of Manufacturers & Exporters Canada to co-operate in the further enhancement of Team Canada Inc programs and services.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">A list of the Team Canada Inc partners and a backgrounder are attached.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<multicol cols="3" width="498" gutter="18">
<p><font face="Courier">Leslie Swartman</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the
Minister for
International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Sylvie Millette
LeDuc</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Press Secretary</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Minister Vanclief's
Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 759-1761</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Jennifer Sloan</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Press Secretary</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Minister Manley's
Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-9001</font></p>
</multicol>
<p><font face="Courier">or contact: </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
<p align="RIGHT"><font face="Courier"><em>(3:10 p.m. EDT)</em></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+1"><strong>TEAM CANADA INC PARTNERSHIP LIST</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+1"><strong>(as of September 30, 1998)</strong></font><font face="Courier"></font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Canadian Commercial Corporation</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Canadian Heritage</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Canadian International Development Agency</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Export Development Corporation</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Human Resources Development Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Industry Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> National Farm Products Council</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Natural Resources Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Revenue Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Statistics Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Transport Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> Western Economic Diversification Canada</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+1"><strong>Backgrounder</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+1"><strong>TEAM CANADA INC: NETWORKING FOR SUCCESS</strong></font><font face="Courier"></font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The 1997 Throne Speech pointed out that Team Canada trade missions have not only
generated new opportunities for Canadian businesses, they have also shown what we
can accomplish when government and the private sector collaborate. A commitment
was made to "build on that success with a focussed strategy, developed in
consultation with industry, to improve our international economic performance by
expanding Canada's trade base." In October 1997, International Trade Minister
Sergio Marchi addressed this commitment at the annual meeting of the Alliance of
Manufacturers and Exporters Canada in Quebec City, along with Minister John Manley
of Industry Canada and Minister Lyle Vanclief of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
The ministers focussed on a number of key themes:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> giving the name Team Canada Inc to the co-operative International Business
Development (IBD) service network, which is made up of federal departments,
provinces, municipalities and the private sector;</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> creating a private sector Team Canada Inc Advisory Board to provide strategic
trade policy and trade/investment development advice to ministers;</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> deploying more Trade Commissioners abroad to reach a 70:30 ratio, field to
headquarters, by the year 2006;</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> improving contact with Team Canada Inc members through a 1-888 number and the
ExportSource Web site;</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> creating a unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to
champion the special needs of small and medium-sized firms in export markets; and</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"> integrating an IBD Business Plan across the three core departments working in
Team Canada Inc.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">These measures to reinforce and expand the Team Canada concept make up the
ministers' initial response to what they have heard from businesses across the
country and from Cabinet colleagues. But these measures are just the start. The
ministers will continue to solicit the views of business associations, special
interest groups and the new business Advisory Board. </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">In one year, the Team Canada Inc partnership has grown from the original three
core departments to include 18 federal export information and service providers.
The ministers will continue to work with others, including their provincial
counterparts, to build the effectiveness of Team Canada Inc in support of Canada's
international business development activities. </font></p>
</body>
</html>
