CATAAlliance Releases Election Platform.

Business Editors

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 2000

Traditional Parties Asked to Measure Up to Ensure Canada's New

Economy Success

Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance) released its election platform today under the title of "Seize the High 'Tech' Ground."

John Reid, CATAAlliance President said, "In many ways we are a political party, the party of the Canadian high tech industry. Our election platform is built from policy planks which will ensure success for Canada in the global economy," adding, "None of the planks is intended to benefit only high tech. They are all horizontal in nature, policies which stimulate all Canadian businesses, the whole economy. They apply to the old and new economies alike."

The core planks of "Seize the High 'Tech' Ground" election platform includes:

- fiscal measures focused on the human resource shortage;
- full adoption of electronic commerce;
- reducing the burden of regulation;
- research and development acceleration;
- boosting education; and
- market access and trade.

Brian Edwards, CATAAlliance Chair and CEO of BCE Emergis commented, "We are challenging all the contending political parties to evaluate their respective platforms against those of Canada's High Tech Party . . . CATAAlliance. Our executives from one end of the country to the other are being mobilized to ensure that we are heard and understood."

David Paterson, CATAAlliance, Executive Director, added, "The pace of change in the new economy is famously quick. The players think in Web years, which are only three months long. Governments measure time in bureaucratic years, of eighteen to twenty-four months. If Canada is to do anything practical to support the new economy, it must accelerate the pace of its policy making process. Delay will handicap progress, and slow growth in the economy and jobs."

Canada must seize the high tech ground to prosper in the future!

The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (www.cata.ca) is a trade association which represents the Canadian high tech industry. We have more than 600 members, and a further 1500 companies belong to associations which are affiliated with CATAAlliance. Most of the companies are in the information and communications technology industries, but we also have members from the aerospace, biotech and advanced manufacturing industries. While the largest companies, like Nortel Networks, JDS Uniphase, Bombardier, Cognos and BCE Emergis are members, the vast majority are SME's. Similarly, while foreign multinationals like IBM, Cisco, Ericsson and Alcatel belong, most of the members are Canadian companies. The markets in which our members compete are global, not local, so almost every one of them exports. Product innovation is the critical factor in global success, so only a few members do not perform R&D.

Note:

Copies of the CATAAlliance Election Platform are available from the CATAAlliance offices in Ottawa: call Tracey Long at 613-236-6550 or go to the cata.ca web site.