May 14, 1999
(Industry, Trade and Technology)

Newfoundland and Labrador businesswomen to attend bilateral trade summit

Newfoundland and Labrador women entrepreneurs will be taking part in the first ever Canada/USA Businesswomen's Trade Summit in Toronto next week.

From May 17 to May 22, five businesswomen from the province will take part in five days of discussions and debate at the Royal York Hotel, joining with hundreds of other businesswomen from Canada and the United States. The Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) will also be represented at the summit.

"This trade mission and trade summit is the first-ever to be held in Canada, and the largest of its kind anywhere in the world," says Andrina Lever, executive director of the Canada/U.S.A. Businesswomen's Trade Summit '99.

Organized in Canada by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Summit is a major international forum to promote cross-border trade between Canadian and American businesswomen. Canada's Minister for International Trade, Sergio Marchi is co-chairing the Summit with William M. Daley, Secretary of Commerce for the United States, and Aida Alvarez, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

"Women entrepreneurs are playing increasingly important roles in domestic and international trade," says Industry, Trade and Technology Minister Sandra Kelly. "The summit should be an excellent opportunity to discuss international trade issues and policies, and also serve as an exciting venue for networking, partnering and marketing opportunities."

Participants in the summit were selected through an extensive application process. Approximately 150 businesswomen from across Canada and 150 from the United States are expected to attend. The summit is an unprecedented initiative by the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States, with extensive sponsorship coming from 17 private sector companies, including the Royal Bank of Canada, Federal Express Canada, IBM, Bell Canada and the Export Development Corporation.

Newfoundland businesswomen attending include:

Brenda Martin
EDM Consultants, Deer Lake

Sharon Biggin
Long Range Mountain Hunting, Fishing & Adventure Tours

Cindy Roma
Telelink - The Call Centre Inc., St.John's

Martha Mullowney
Mullowney's Puffin & Whale Watching Tours, Bay Bulls

Hilda Broomfield
Pressure Pipe Steel Fabrication Ltd., Happy Valley-Goose Bay

NLOWE will be represented by its executive director, Mona Wall.

 NOTE TO EDITORS: Summit participants from this province are available for pre and post summit interviews, and may be contacted directly.

Brenda Martin (709) 634-9345

Sharon Biggin (709) 898-2330

Cindy Roma (709) 722-3730

Hilda Broomfield (709) 896-0529

Martha Mullowney (709) 745-5061

Mona Wall (NLOWE) (709) 754-8274

Media seeking more information about the Summit or interested in coordinating interviews during the Summit, please contact:

Robert Maclean / Nicola Moore
Canada Porter Novelli
(416) 925-4825
(416) 925-4840

Doug Burgess
Director of Communications
Department of Industry, Trade and Technology
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
(709) 729-6573

1999 05 14 4:10 p.m.