Following are speaking notes for Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, delivered at the Opportunities to Explore Economic Development Conference, September 26, Deer Lake Motel, Deer Lake:

I am delighted to be here at the Opportunities to Explore Economic Development Conference this evening. It is a sincere pleasure for me to be the first speaker in the exciting line-up that is scheduled for this weekend's conference. The conference program reflects a dynamic group of speakers and presentations who all focus on exploring and building on opportunities in different sectors of the economy. From this evening's panel discussion which will explore opportunities in the global economy, to workshops which focus on such aspects as aquaculture, tourism, secondary processing and technology based industry, you should come away from the sessions with optimism and enthusiasm. Upon hearing what I have to say, I also hope you experience similar sentiments about what my department and the provincial government is doing to stimulate economic growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

My message this evening will focus on government's plan for economic growth in this province and how long-term regional economic development is a key element of that plan. I will talk to you about the guiding principles for economic development as outlined in the Red Book, the campaign document of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party. I will show you how your region is acting on those principles, and finally I will demonstrate to you by way of example, that the process is working.

GOVERNMENT'S PLAN FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

Government's plan for economic growth is about creating an environment in which business and industry can thrive. It's about developing new opportunities to create jobs and promote long-term economic development; it's about revitalizing the rural regions of our province; and most importantly, it's about building partnerships with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in order to maximize results. While government can facilitate the creation of an environment which is most conducive to economic growth, we can't make it happen without you. We need the business community, entrepreneurs and community enterprises, as well as the ideas to make it happen.

The future prosperity of our province depends, significantly, upon the drive, commitment and success of the private sector. The efforts of the Department of Development and Rural Renewal, and all of the provincial government's economic development activities, can only be successful if they support and enhance the creativity and competitiveness of the business community. Government's role is to create a positive and stimulative business climate in which the private sector can generate sustainable wealth and employment opportunities for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

ROLE OF DDRR

My department is facilitating this enhancement of the economic climate through regional economic development in the zone process, through small business development and through offering a wide-range of employment programs. Decentralization, forming partnerships with regions, private sector and community groups, and identifying and capitalizing on our regional strengths, are all key themes of my department's mission. My department is decentralizing program delivery wherever feasible. This puts the priorities and the programs into the regions where they can be more effective and are needed the most. My regional staff have an awareness of local needs that comes from working close to, and with, our clients in the environment in which they live. We intend to take advantage of the department's decentralized structure wherever possible. As an example, the delivery of our employment programs is being decentralized to provide greater integration of employment and labour market services with regional strategic economic plans and business development initiatives.

If we are to achieve long-term economic growth, we must pursue an integrated approach to economic development where all parts contribute to the whole.

By "our" efforts, I mean government, zone boards, community-based groups and business organizations. I am talking about partnerships between government and the private sector; and between government and communities. That means signing performance contracts with the Regional Economic Development Boards which reflect an economic partnership in which the partners commit to performance and commit to producing economic results.

The Regional Economic Development Boards and the economic zone process play a key role in this integrated approach and in identifying the priorities and needs of the regions. The economic zone process, as recommended by the Task Force on Community Economic Development, is up and running all across Newfoundland and Labrador. These community-based volunteer boards will support economic development planning and coordination within 20 economic zones in the province. Consisting of representatives of municipalities, business, labour, community development groups, education and training institutions as well as other interests in the zone, the boards reflect a diverse cross-section of the economy. This ensures that the strengths of all aspects of the local economy are represented so as to better serve the region.

As many of you are probably aware, earlier this afternoon, my federal colleague Gerry Byrne and I launched the Humber Economic Development Board. At the ceremony, Gerry and I signed Performance Contracts with the board, signifying the completion of the Provisional Board process and the beginning of the strategic planning process. I understand that the board is well into the development of a strategic plan for the zone and is identifying, prioritizing and coordinating opportunities identified as having potential for long-term economic viability in the region. Those of you here this evening who are from zone eight will undoubtedly be involved if you haven't already. I understand the board held their public consultations just two weeks ago, and that David Reid, the chair of the board, and Greg Osmond, the facilitator, will both be addressing the conference this weekend about their zones strategic plan.

As of today, I have signed 13 performance contracts with Regional Economic Development Boards across the province. We are steadily making our way towards realizing our goal of achieving a new approach to regional economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador. As is evident by your participation here today, there is no doubt that regional economic development and the regional economic zone process is gaining the recognition and attention of thousands of volunteers, staff, and interest groups committed to economic renewal all across Newfoundland and Labrador. It is an exciting time as we all work together in this new approach to economic development. We are exploring new opportunities for growth and achieving the results which demonstrate that the process is working.

Small business development is another key aspect which supports regional economic development initiatives. We are partnering with all levels of government and with community-based economic agencies to complement services and avoid duplication of activities: agencies such as Business Development Centres, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Business Development Bank of Canada, the Atlantic Investment Fund and commercial lending institutions.

Our mission is to ensure that all potentially viable businesses have the opportunity to succeed. My department focuses on assisting small business, particularly first-time businesses who have not been able to secure financial guarantees in the private sector.

We recognize that today's business failures often result from a lack of management skills and counselling rather than from a lack of capital alone. Therefore, my department provides business development services as well as specific financial services. My staff can help you identify commercial opportunities in markets outside the province, for example, or assist in providing ideas about the possibilities which lie in product enhancement. We are concentrating on the seeding and start up of new small businesses, and the development of skills to enable businesses to lever commercial funding from other sources.

In this way we are facilitating the economic environment to support the start-up of new small businesses in the province. In Newfoundland and Labrador, 65 per cent of all businesses are in the smallest category, that is, they employ one to four employees. This sector has created more than 80 per cent of new jobs in the province since the 1980s.

Despite the difficulties facing our economy, there has been significant growth in small business in many sectors including educational services, health and social services, mining, business services, accommodation and food services, manufacturing, finance and insurance. We are committed to ensuring the economic environment continues to grow, diversify and create new jobs.

My department also offers a wide-range of provincial employment programs which have been augmented by forming partnerships with the federal government. Employment programming ranges from assisting young people who are attending post-secondary institutions, to graduate and graduate self-employment programs, to providing employer incentive programs which encourage the formation of partnerships between employers and potential employees. Through our employer incentive programs which are targeted at providing opportunity to those who are unemployed or underemployed, my department will make it possible for over 900 people to obtain work over the 1996-97 fiscal year. In addition, this past summer, my department facilitated the employment of 2,300 post-secondary students and youth through provincial and federal programming, and our Graduate Self-Employment Program encouraged the cultivation of approximately 60 entrepreneurs. That's a total of approximately 3,300 people who we are putting to work in this province this year alone. These programs all contribute to regional economic development and are there for you to avail of, to support your own regional economic development initiatives.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Revitalizing rural economies requires the development of a competitive advantage in strategic industries. High-value-added resource industries, such as Don Wells' Welco Ventures of Deer Lake serves as an excellent regional example of a local entrepreneur who diversified his economic base by expanding his markets and producing a competitive, value-added resource product. Mr. Wells, one of the panelists appearing this evening, runs a fully integrated sawmill which produces air dried lumber products which he sells to national and local markets.

As a province, we must make exploring potential markets for export a priority. We must diversify our economic base by producing goods and services that are internationally competitive in price, quality and service. Many of you here in the Humber region have already recognized that and have pursued global market opportunities. Brad Chaulk, another of your panelists this evening, is President of EDM Consultants Ltd. He provides a diversity of engineering services in the global marketplace. Atlantic Gypsum in Corner Brook manufactures gypsum wallboard and has won a contract with Rumania for their product. Donna Thistle of Thistledown Florists has received international recognition for her participation in the Rosebowl parade in California. These are examples of Newfoundland companies expanding their market by developing them and being recognized internationally.

Potential also lies in exploring the use of innovative technologies. An innovative and technologically progressive industry will enhance productivity and competitiveness. We can gain a competitive advantage by integrating advanced technologies in the workplace with imagination and creativity. This weekend you will explore some of those opportunities through presentations on the Internet and robotics in the classroom.

We must also place an emphasis on education and training. Education and training systems must be adapted to a labour market which is subject to change and evolution. This requires building partnerships between governments and employers. The provincial and federal governments must work with the employers of the province to ensure effective training systems are put in place to respond to the training needs of the labour market since my department houses the provincial employment programs, my officials are working closely with their federal counterparts at Human Resources Development Canada, to meet the employment and training needs of this province.

We must also capitalize on the resources we already have. The western region of Newfoundland has a wealth of resources that could put many areas of the world to shame. With forestry, agriculture, mining, the fishery, and beautiful countryside all at your disposal, the potential is enormous.

Sometimes we need to take a step back to recognize the substantial wealth of resource and opportunity which lies around us. I was told a story of one entrepreneur in this region, Elvis Loder, who developed a business plan from a passing remark. I understand that at one time he was a guide, but it had not occurred to him to turn his knowledge into a business until a visitor commented on his impressive description of the surrounding countryside. Today Mr. Loder operates a lodge in the Long Range Mountains and takes tourists on snowmobile tours.

THE ECONOMIC STRENGTHS OF THE HUMBER REGION

The Humber region as a whole has already made significant headway in the development of its local economy. This region has one of the most diversified economies in the province, due in large part to its vast resource base and the innovative, forward-thinking mindset of many of its local entrepreneurs.

The Humber Region boasts agriculture, forestry, fishery, tourism, manufacturing and transportation which combine to make an already extremely diversified economy. The Humber Valley contains the largest tract of good agricultural land in the province. Seventy-five percent of the province's strawberries are produced in the Humber Valley.

This region also has a thriving tourism trade which, through the dedicated efforts of many regional associations and community groups, is evolving into a four season tourism destination. With excellent conditions for snowmobile trails, downhill and cross-country skiing, and with the 1999 Canada Winter Games on the horizon, that potential will be realized even more. The growing tourism potential along the Great Northern Peninsula was officially recognized recently when Gerry Byrne and I announced $950,000 under the Canada/Newfoundland Strategic Regional Diversification COOPERATION Agreement to support the creation of a number of attractions along the Viking Trail. These attractions have been designed to provide interesting rest stops all along the Northern Peninsula and encourage visitors to lengthen the time they stay in the area. With the Humber region serving as the anchor to the Viking Trail, you will also reap benefits from this initiative.

Gerry and I announced another project on the west coast just this past Saturday under the COOPERATION Agreement. One million in funding has been provided to support the Arctic Char aquaculture initiative in Daniel's Harbour. This money will support the aquaculture industry through the expansion of Newfoundland's first Arctic Char hatchery, which is showing tremendous potential.

In addition to aquaculture, however, the Humber region continues to boast a thriving fishery, despite the downturn in the groundfish fishery. This year, processors in your region have exported caplin, herring, mackerel and squid, and have been processing Russian caught turbot and cod.

This region also has a thriving manufacturing industry thatproduces a range of products including chemical stones, fertilizer, insulation, paper, sewage systems and wallboard. These companies are also exporters and send their products to the rest of Canada and around the world.

You take advantage of the fact that you are in the centre of a transportation centre with an airport at Deer Lake and a revitalized seaport at Corner Brook. Combined with your aggressive, forward- thinking attitude, the Humber region certainly has the basis upon which to grow. An already diversified economic base with a great potential for even more growth makes this an exciting region in which to be involved.

OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE

Throughout the weekend's conference, you will hear from people who have been successful in seeking out creative opportunities for growth, who have built on the existing economic base, have explored global markets and have become entrepreneurs. You will hear from people who have been putting economic development into action. Many of you are capitalizing on government's plan for economic growth in the province and are using your imagination to develop new ideas, expand on existing industry, and become competitive locally, nationally, and internationally.

Economic development is also about cultivating partnerships and working together. People, communities, regions and governments must work together to maximize our collective potential for growth. My department also partners with the provincial department of Industry, Trade and Technology in terms of economic development external to the province.

The mandate of the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology is to attract new business investment and expand existing business enterprises. We recognize that in an increasingly competitive and knowledge based world economy, we can no longer rely on traditional approaches to do this, we have to be more outward looking in our approach to economic development and create the type of business climate that allows the private sector to respond to business opportunities. Consequently, the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador has also been seeking opportunities to explore.

The provincial department of Industry, Trade and Technology has placed emphasis on attracting new business to the province through implementing the province's new EDGE legislation, through advertising, participating in trade shows, launching trade missions, and through working with local enterprise to promote locally produced goods and services.

The new EDGE legislation is designed to attract and encourage substantive new business investment in the province as a means of creating new jobs and diversifying our economy. Companies with EDGE designation receive a 10-year tax holiday, Crown land for a nominal fee, start-up incentives, and a facilitator. The EDGE program is viewed as the most unique and attractive business assistance program in the country and has been extremely successful in attracting new business to the province. For example, the premier's EDGE promotional mission across Canada contributed to AbbaCom Logic locating in Newfoundland.

The Think Again advertising campaign attempts to dispel negative myths which leading Canadian decision makers may have about Newfoundland and Labrador. This national campaign is phase one of a marketing campaign designed to demonstrate that Newfoundland and Labrador is the right place for business.

The Department of Industry, Trade and Technology is also involved in various trade shows and trade missions designed to promote the province and increase opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador companies. During 1996, the department will take part in 21 trade shows and exhibitions from Stavanger, Norway to Houston, Texas. Participation in trade shows is targeted towards growth areas which include oil and gas, information technology and manufacturing.

The participation of Newfoundland companies in these trade shows often leads to increased contracts and sales. For example, Brad Chaulk's company which I mentioned earlier, EDM Consultants Ltd., received several engineering and environmental contracts for projects in South East Asia as a result of his participation.

Biogreen Newfoundland received sales of their wastewater treatment product in Scotland, and Terra Nova Shoes secured sales in Ireland, just to name a few.

The provincial government is also involved in various trade missions throughout Europe, Asia and North and South America where key decision-makers of organizations who may be interested in expanding their business to Newfoundland and Labrador or interested in buying Newfoundland and Labrador made products are approached. These trade missions are highly focused and deal with specific contracts and agreements with investors. Newfoundland, in turn, has hosted trade missions from countries such as Japan, China, Chile and Scotland.

And here at home, the department works closely with the Newfoundland Manufacturing Association on its Manufactured Right Here campaign which is designed to promote the purchase of locally made goods and services.

So as you can see, my department is working closely with the whole of the provincial government, with the federal government and with you to be able to facilitate the most conducive environment in which business will prosper.

We are committed to this new way of doing business, to ensure that all areas of Newfoundland and Labrador share in new economic opportunity and sustained job creation.

It is imperative that all government departments and programs support the development of strategic economic plans if this new approach to economic development is going to be successful. This means partnering with zones in implementing these plans, and coordinating their programs and services to ensure there is no overlap or duplication.

This will be assisted through the Cabinet Committee on Rural Revitalization which I chair. Our government has committed all departments and agencies to review their activities and programs to determine how best to support the development and implementation of strategic economic plans in the zones. An integrated approach to economic development demands that government integrate its activities as well.

There must also be partnership between zones. Neighbouring zones must develop plans which build on opportunities for partnerships and joint ventures. This weekend's conference is an excellent example of partnership in action. The joint sponsorship of this conference by the town of Deer Lake, the Humber Valley Development Association, the Humber Economic Development Board, the Deer Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Elwood Regional High School and my department, through the tireless efforts of John Davis and Steward Read, demonstrates the cooperation among the various stakeholders in this area.

Once zone plans are in place, moreover, government will have - for the first time - a clear reference point to determine the vision, goals and objectives of every region of our province. This will feed into our own planning and program development. We will still require a provincial vision and a plan, but it will reflect the strategic strengths and opportunities identified in every region of our province. Similarly, this conference provides an excellent forum to generate feedback from a broadly represented cross-section of the entire area. Over the weekend you will also be provided with an overview of the economic strengths and potential in your region, as well as another opportunity to channel your collective resources and energies into an action-oriented strategic plan, working towards our mutual goal of developing the local economy.

My department, and our government, are committed to working with you in implementing the initiatives necessary to realize the opportunities you identify in your region and through your zone's strategic economic plan. Through all the ways I have outlined today: through the efforts of my department, through that of all of government, and through working closely with you, the opportunity to make the revitalization of our rural communities and the development of all our regions is a reality. Let us work together. The challenge is great but the reward will be a prosperous Newfoundland and Labrador. I look forward to working with you to make it a reality.