Prominent New England speakers to visit province

Local companies, organizations and individuals will have an opportunity to learn more about the business, cultural and historic links between Newfoundland and Labrador and New England at luncheons in St. John�s and Corner Brook this week.

Millie Rahn, a cultural consultant based in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dr. Anthony Cicerone, president of the New England-Canada Business Council and executive director of the Southeastern Massachusetts-Atlantic Canada Association, will be the keynote speakers for luncheons in St. John�s on Thursday, October 5, and in Corner Brook on Friday, October 6. Both events are part of the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology�s New England Trade and Investment Strategy.

The department is co-sponsoring the events in conjunction with the St. John�s Board of Trade, the Corner Brook Chamber of Commerce and the Corner Brook Economic Development Corporation. Prior to the luncheons, there will also be an information session on Industry, Trade and Technology�s Ambassador Newfoundland and Labrador Program (ANLP) and the New England strategy to members of the ANLP.

A trained folklorist, Millie Rahn has done field work and cultural inventories in New England, the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador, and presented workshops on cultural traditions and sense of place. For more than a decade she has been collecting oral histories from Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the "Boston States" with an emphasis on the Boston Barrel Tradition. She has a BA in American Studies from the University of Maryland and an MA in folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Ms. Rahn is completing a compilation for the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology on the 400 year relationship and cultural ties between both regions entitled "An Overview of the Cultural and Historic Connections Between Newfoundland and Labrador and New England." It is in the final stages of completion, and at the luncheons, Ms. Rahn will report on her findings to date.

"Even though I attended Memorial University of Newfoundland and I have been studying Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the Boston area for over 10 years, as I research this report, I am astounded by how deep the connections are between these two regions," said Ms. Rahn.

Dr. Anthony Cicerone is chairman of the economics department and director of the Canadian Studies Program at Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Massachusetts as well as a senior lecturer at University College, Northeastern University in Boston. His teaching and research focus on the Canada-U.S. trade relationship with specific reference to Atlantic Canada and New England. He holds a BA in economics from Acadia University and an MA and a Ph.D in economics from Northeastern University.

"New England represents a large, high-income market that is geographically close and possesses a similar business culture to that of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Dr. Cicerone. "There are numerous opportunities in the New England area and I strongly encourage businesses from this province to explore the possibility of expanding to that region."

"The New England area represents a wealth of opportunities for local companies, and with Dr. Cicerone and Ms. Rahn as our guest speakers, people will hear first-hand about the strong business and cultural ties that exist between the two regions," said Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology Sandra Kelly. "This event fits in well with our province�s New England Trade and Investment Strategy, which is aimed at building stronger business links with New England."

The St. John�s luncheon is at the Delta St. John�s Hotel. Tickets are $35 and are available by contacting the St. John�s Board of Trade at (709) 726-2961. In Corner Brook, the event will take place at the Marble Mountain Ski Resort, and tickets are available by contacting Rosa House at (709) 634-5831.

Media contact: Jacqueline Simon, Communications, (709) 729-0050.

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