OTTAWA, December 4, 2009 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today made the following statement regarding the purchase of Nortel’s Enterprise Solutions business by Avaya Inc.:
“I have approved the application by Avaya to acquire Nortel’s Enterprise Solutions business because I am satisfied that the investment is likely to be of net benefit to Canada.
“Avaya has committed to continue to operate Nortel’s Belleville and Ottawa Research and Development (R&D) facilities and to make them its centres of excellence and bases for technology development. Belleville will also be a centre for worldwide hardware development and support.
“Avaya committed to continue to invest in the development of R&D in Canada and to employ a large proportion of Nortel’s Enterprise Solutions’ current Canadian employees, including its R&D employees. In short, this investment will maintain R&D activity and jobs in Canada.”
For further information (media only), please contact:
Lynn Meahan
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
