A delegation of eight companies from Atlantic Canada will be in Florida from October 29 to November 2, 2006 to investigate their business potential. The companies participating in this trade mission are all small and medium-sized manufacturers of consumer products, including giftware, clothing and home d�cor items.

"Canada�s New Government understands the importance of helping Atlantic Canadian Businesses succeed in the international global marketplace," said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "This trade mission has the potential of generating important export opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses from Atlantic Canada."

As part of this reconnaissance trade mission, companies will receive an overview of the Central Florida retail market from Britt Beemer, CEO of America�s Research Group and author of "Predatory Marketing". This market information session on October 30 will help them better understand the Florida market as they travel in and around Orlando to gather competitive intelligence. The delegates will receive training on quality customer service from the Disney Institute, a recognized leader in experiential training, leadership development and cultural change for business professionals around the globe.

"I congratulate Holly Howard Inc. on taking the initiative to join this trade mission and wish the company every success in the Florida market," says the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "The development of new export markets is key to growing the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador and the creation of new jobs."

While in Florida, the companies will join the Team Canada Atlantic trade mission as associate business delegates where they will participate in a number of Team Canada Atlantic networking events, including the Taste of Atlantic Canada reception in Orlando on October 30. The reception will showcase Atlantic Canadian food and seafood products, as prepared by Chefs Kimball Bernard and Linda Hellingman of the Culinary Institute of Canada. During this event, the participating manufacturers from Atlantic Canada will showcase their consumer products to the more than 250 U.S. industry leaders and business representatives in attendance.

This consumer products trade mission to Florida is funded through the International Business Development Agreement (IBDA). The IBDA is a federal/provincial export development agreement between the Government of Canada (represented by ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada. The IBDA is helping to build a stronger trading culture in Atlantic Canada through coordinated activities such as trade training, market intelligence, sector development and trade missions.

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The following companies will participate in the market investigation trade mission to Florida:

New Brunswick
Tin Design (Sackville), Fiready Inc. (Clair), and Estey Creations (Fredericton)

Newfoundland and Labrador
Holly Howard Inc. (Conception Bay South)

Nova Scotia
Artifacts in Clay (Chester)

Prince Edward Island
Where Pigs Fly (Tyne Valley), Happy Glass (Charlottetown), Cavendish Figurines Ltd. (Borden-Carleton)