The Honourable Brian Tobin, federal Minister of Industry, today announced the members of the Advisory Board for the $300-million Atlantic Innovation Fund.

The Fund is a key component of the $700-million Atlantic Investment Partnership previously announced by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. It is designed to build the economy of Atlantic Canada by increasing the region's capacity to carry out leading-edge research and development that directly contributes to the development of new technology- based economic activity in the region.

The Advisory Board members for the Innovation Fund include: - Board Chairperson Dr. Art May, Honorary Research Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland - Dr. Daniel Walker, President of Oceanic Consulting Corporation, St. John's, Newfoundland - Dr. Verna M. Skanes, retired Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland - Louis E. Deveau, President of Acadian Seaplants Limited, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - Elizabeth Beale, President and CEO, Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, Halifax, Nova Scotia - Dr. Tim O'Neill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Economist, Bank of Montreal, Toronto, Ontario - Everett Roche, Partner, MacIsaac Younker Roche Solomon, Chartered Accountants, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - Edward W. Lawlor, President of DeltaWare Systems Inc., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - Sylvestre McLaughlin, business consultant, Moncton, New Brunswick - Andréa Boudreau, Controller, Gautreau Machine Shop, Dieppe, New Brunswick.

The Board members were selected based on their credibility, knowledge and experience in one or more of the following fields: innovation and technology, business, and economic policy. The composition of the Board also ensures representation from across the Atlantic region.

"A great deal of care and consideration has gone into the process of selecting the members of the Advisory Board for the Atlantic Innovation Fund," said Minister Tobin. "I am delighted with the caliber of the individuals we have appointed. They bring an impressive range of knowledge and expertise that I am confident will greatly contribute to the quality of proposals we will be approving under the Atlantic Innovation Fund."

"The appointment of the Advisory Board is the first significant step in launching the Atlantic Innovation Fund," added the Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "The Fund will go a long way toward helping Atlantic Canada increase its research and development activity and get more ideas, products and services out of the labs and into the marketplace. It will foster excellence in innovation, create new business opportunities, stimulate export-based growth and provide many Atlantic Canadians with enhanced skills and good quality jobs."

Once the Fund is operational, the Board will initiate requests for proposals from the private sector and the institutional research sector, which will address the most strategic and critical innovation requirements in Atlantic Canada. The Board will make recommendations to the Ministers on specific project proposals based on the merits of these proposals and a thorough analysis, and will advise the Ministers, when requested, on program issues related to the Fund.

ACOA, the federal department responsible for delivery of the Atlantic Investment Partnership, will provide administrative support to the Advisory Board. ACOA will ensure the Board receives the documentation needed to analyze all proposals and will arrange for external technical advice as required.

The Atlantic Investment Partnership is a balanced mix of strategic investments by the Government of Canada, through ACOA, designed to strengthen the capacity of Atlantic Canadians to innovate and compete in the global, knowledge- based economy.

**Biographies of Atlantic Innovation Fund Advisory Board members:

*Louis E. Deveau President, Acadian Seaplants Limited

Louis E. Deveau is President of Acadian Seaplants Limited of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a company that processes wild seaweeds into value-added products and cultivates "bio- engineered" seaweeds for food markets. The company's products are sold in specialty markets in over 55 countries.

Mr. Deveau's involvement in the economic development of marine resources dates back to 1961. He worked for the federal Department of Fisheries for six years in the development of the snow-crab and shrimp fisheries. Between 1967 and 1989, he held posts as President of Gel Mex, Mexico and Vice-President of Marine Colloids Canada Ltd. He acquired the latter company from its US parent in 1980 and Acadian Seaplants was born.

Mr. Deveau and his company have been honoured with a number of awards, including: the 1995 Nova Scotia Environmental Award for Industry as well as the Nova Scotia Export Award, the 1996 Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the High Technology Sector, the National Citation for Excellence in Innovation and Technology from the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year Institute and the 1996 Canada Export Award for Exporting Excellence.

Mr. Deveau is a native of Salmon River, Nova Scotia. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts at Ste. Anne's University and a Bachelor of Engineering at the Technical University of Nova Scotia.

*Dr. Art W. May Honorary Research Professor Memorial University of Newfoundland

Dr. Art May is currently an Honorary Research Professor with Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dr. May has an extensive background in fisheries and marine science. He began his career as a research scientist with the Newfoundland Biological Station in 1958. He subsequently joined the federal Department of Fisheries where he held numerous, progressively responsible posts in both Ottawa and the Atlantic region, culminating in his appointment as Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1982.

Dr. May was appointed President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in 1986. He became President and Vice-Chancellor of Memorial University in 1990 and served in this position until his retirement in August 1999.

Dr. May resides in St. John's, Newfoundland. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology and a Masters of Science in Fisheries Biology from Memorial University, and a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from McGill University.

*Elizabeth Beale President and CEO Atlantic Provinces Economic Council

Ms. Elizabeth Beale is currently President and CEO of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. Ms. Beale served as APEC's Chief Economist from 1983 to 1986. She rejoined APEC in January 1996 as Chief Economist, after spending nine years as a consulting economist with many of Canada's leading research agencies and firms. She was appointed President at APEC's annual meeting in Halifax in September 1996.

Ms. Beale's policy and research interests cover a wide range of topics related to the economy of Atlantic Canada including regional development strategies, interprovincial and external trade and labour market topics. She is frequently requested as a speaker at conferences, seminars and annual meetings. This year, she has represented APEC at meetings in Aberdeen, Ottawa and several locations in the Atlantic region.

Ms. Beale resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was educated at the University of Toronto, Queen's University and Dalhousie University. Ms. Beale has taken an active leadership role in a number of community organizations. Currently, she is a Governor of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Chair of the Human Resource Development Association (HRDA) of Halifax.

*Everett Roche, B.B.A, C.A. MacIsaac Younker Roche Soloman, Chartered Accountants

Mr. Everett Roche is a partner with MacIsaac Younker Roche Soloman chartered accountants and is a shareholder in Career Skills, which is a privately-owned business and technology school. He is also an owner of several other successful PEI businesses. Past employment experience includes Compliance and Management Services at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Prince Edward Island and senior financial auditor at the Office of the Auditor General for the Province of Prince Edward Island.

Mr. Roche resides in Prince Edward Island. He is a chartered accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business Administrations degree from the University of Prince Edward Island. He is a member of the PEI Federal Judicial Appointments Committee and is a former executive member of the Council for the Prince Edward Island Institute of Chartered Accountants where he acted as Education Chair and Chair of Taxation.

*Dr. Verna M. Skanes Retired Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland

As a research scientist, Dr. Verna M. Skanes has reviewed numerous research proposals for local and national funding organizations. During her career, Dr. Skanes has published many scientific articles and has served as director on various corporate and public boards including Terra Nova Biotechnology, Seabright Corporation, Clinical Trials Atlantic Corporation and, most recently, Canadian Blood Services.

As Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Medicine at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dr. Skanes expanded the mandate of the position to include activities directed to technology transfer and marketing programs aimed at increasing research funding by government and industry and creating strong partnerships between policy-makers, care providers and researchers in the health system. Between 1998 and 2000, these marketing efforts resulted in approximately $2.8 million for health research from public sources in the province. These expenditures were matched by at least an equal sum from federal research agencies and the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Skanes resides in St. John's, Newfoundland. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Science in Medicine and a Ph.D. in Medicine, all from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

*Sylvestre McLaughlin Consultant

Currently a private consultant, Sylvestre McLaughlin has, in the past, held the positions of Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Assistant Deputy Minister of Commerce and Technology for the Province of New Brunswick, Executive Director of the Conseil économique du Nouveau- Brunswick, and has worked as a development officer with small- and medium-sized businesses throughout New Brunswick.

Mr. McLaughlin has wide-ranging experience in the field of fisheries and has contacts in the various associations of fishers, fish farmers and fish processors. He acted as a consultant for the Maritime Fishermen's Union regarding the development and seeding of scallop beds on the east coast of New Brunswick and as a consultant to Fisheries and Oceans Canada when the latter created the administrative management region known as the Gulf Region.

A native of Rivière du Portage, New Brunswick, Mr. McLaughlin studied at the Bathurst College, the University of Moncton and the University of Laval. He now lives in Moncton.

*Andréa D. Boudreau Comptroller Gautreau Machine Shop Ltd.

Ms. Andréa D. Boudreau is currently comptroller for Gautreau Machine Shop Ltd. Before this, she held various accounting and finance positions in both the private and public sectors. In particular, Ms. Boudreau was comptroller for Downeast Plastics Ltd., director of services and administrative affairs for La Caisse populaire de Dieppe Ltée and comptroller at Telemonitoring Manufacturing Corp.

A native of Moncton, New Brunswick, Ms. Boudreau studied at the Université de Moncton. She is also accredited by the Certified General Accountants Association of New Brunswick, and the Fédération des Caisses populaires acadiennes et des Services d'Investissements Acadie Inc. Ms. Boudreau is also known for her community involvement. She is currently a councillor for the Town of Dieppe and a member of the Résidence Ste-Thérèse Inc. executive board.

*Dr. Dan Walker President Oceanic Consulting Corporation

Dr. Dan Walker has an extensive background in ocean technology. He is currently President of Oceanic Consulting Corporation. From 1994 to 1996 he worked with the Ocean Engineering Research Centre where he conducted cavitation research as part of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) funded project on propeller-ice interaction. In 1993, he started the firm Marineering Limited. In 1998, he was the chief architect of Oceanic Consulting Corporation, an alliance between Marineering Limited, the National Research Council and the Memorial University of Newfoundland. This firm provides commercial services in marine performance evaluation to the international marketplace and is the commercial front door to one of the world's most comprehensive collections of marine research facilities.

Dr. Walker has published 20 articles and reports in the field of ocean technology. He has many professional affiliations such as the National Research Council Ocean Technology Cluster Initiative, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland, the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association and the Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Harbor Authority.

Dr. Walker resides in St. Phillips, Newfoundland. He holds Doctor of Philosophy in Ocean Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Architectural Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

*Dr. Tim O'Neill Executive Vice President and Chief Economist Bank of Montreal

Dr. Tim O'Neill joined the Bank of Montreal in 1993 as Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist and was appointed to Executive Vice President and Chief Economist in October 1994. For 12 years before that, he taught in the Department of Economics at St. Mary's University in Halifax. He served as a consultant to several provincial governments, as well as to the Canadian federal government. In his teaching, research and consulting activities, Dr. O'Neill focused extensively on the structure and performance of the North American economy. Areas covered in his publications and public presentations have ranged from macroeconomic forecasts and assessment of key sectors of the economy, to examination of broader themes such as the employment effects of technological change and the economic impact of illiteracy. Dr. O'Neill is a native of Sydney, Nova Scotia and he now resides in Toronto, Ontario. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree (with Honours) at St. Francis Xavier University, his Masters at the University of British Columbia, and his Ph.D. at Duke University, North Carolina. His academic awards include the Mackenzie King Scholarship and the Donner Fellowship.

*Edward W. Lawlor President, DeltaWare Systems Inc.

Mr. Ed Lawlor is the founder and President of DeltaWare Systems Inc., an information technology company located in Charlottetown. The company provides software services and solutions to industry, business and government organizations.

Mr. Lawlor has worked in the information technology field for more than 30 years in a variety of roles, including software engineering, project management, senior management, educator and entrepreneur. He has worked in both the private and public sectors. Over his 19-year career in the public sector, he held a number of senior positions in the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Government. These included Economic Policy Coordinator, Executive Council Office, and 12 years as Director of the Government's information technology division. Mr. Lawlor has also taught over 30 university courses in computer science and business information systems, and has designed and conducted custom courses for organizations on the planning, management and implementation of information technology.

Mr. Lawlor is a founding member of the Information Technologies Association of PEI (ITAP) and its first President, a position he held until stepping down in May 2000. He currently serves as Past-President on the ITAP Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Information Technology Association of Canada, and a Board Member of the Holland College Board of Governors.

Mr. Lawlor is the recipient of the 1998 Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence and a finalist for the 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Atlantic Canada in the Information Technology category. He holds a degree in Mathematics from St. Dunstan's University and a Master's Degree in Computer Science from the University of New Brunswick. He currently resides in Charlottetown, PEI.

Heidi Bonnell
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Tobin
Industry Canada
(613) 995-9001

Jennifer Savoy
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Thibault
(613) 941-7291

Deborah Corey
Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA)
(506) 851-2133
dcorey@acoa-apeca.gc.ca