Maniwaki, Quebec, February 11, 2010 – The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Pontiac, today joined the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, in announcing that the next Business Contact will take place this coming March 18 at Auberge du Draveur. The decision to hold this event for the first time ever in the Outaouais region was made in close cooperation with the Société d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) Vallée-de-la-Gatineau—the Community Futures Development Corporation serving the area. The aim of Business Contact is to support the business community in its efforts to diversify the region’s economy.
Taking place under the theme “Business prospects and strategies at the dawn of an economic recovery”, this event is intended first and foremost to be a forum for discussion on the challenges facing the region’s entrepreneurs and economic stakeholders and on the main trends currently under way. Participants will have the opportunity to obtain useful information, find answers to their questions and learn more about the Government of Canada programs and services available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Conferences will address changing conditions in such sectors as forestry, tourism and agri-food and look at the business opportunities open to the region’s enterprises by virtue of their proximity to the national capital.
The Business Floor, a unique component of the Business Contact formula, will be the ideal place for forging new business relations, as will be the popular networking luncheon. More than 40 consulting experts from the public, private and university sectors will also be on hand, including some 30 representatives of Government of Canada departments, agencies and organizations active in the field of small business support.
“Designed in collaboration with local stakeholders to reflect regional economic development concerns, Business Contact is for entrepreneurs who want to turn today’s challenges into opportunities for growth. This event clearly illustrates the Government of Canada’s determination, as stated in our economic action plan, to support the dynamism of our enterprises and foster their success,” explained Minister Cannon.
“The SADC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau is proud to join forces with Canada Economic Development in making this initiative possible. By facilitating network-building and access to strategic information, Business Contact should allow the region’s SMEs to find customized solutions and better harness the opportunities available to them to secure their growth,” added SADC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau President André Galipeau.
Minister of State Lebel, for his part, stressed the importance that a large number of Outaouais entrepreneurs and economic stakeholders take part in the March 18th Business Contact. “It is my hope that this not-to-be-missed event will pave the way for numerous development projects in the region,” he concluded.
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Sources:
François Bélisle
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-825-5260, ext. 235
E-mail: francois.belisle@dec-ced.gc.ca
Pierre Monette
Executive Director
SADC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau
Tel.: 819-449-1551
E-mail: pmonette@ciril.qc.ca
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
E-mail: simon.bachand@dec-ced.gc.ca
Natalie Sarafian
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tel.: 613-995-1851
E-mail: natalie.sarafian@international.gc.ca
