Nova Scotia Companies Bring Business to Paris Air Show

Nova Scotia and other Atlantic Canadian companies have made a strong impression at the Paris Air Show, Ernest Fage, Minister of Economic Development said today, June 16.

Mr. Fage said the Atlantic Canadian trade delegation is the largest to a major international air show and Nova Scotia's delegation is one of the largest from Canada's provinces.

"I have been greatly impressed by the number and extremely high quality of the companies attending this year's event," said Mr. Fage, who helped lead the Atlantic Canadian delegation. "Along with my colleague, Chris d'Entremont, Minister of Acadian Affairs, I want to extend my sincere thanks to all of the Atlantic Canadian companies that came to the Paris Air Show this year and made my job so pleasurable and exciting.

"These companies are innovative and on the leading edge of business. Being here and watching their presentations, and the favourable reactions they are receiving, makes me confident that the future of this sector in Atlantic Canada, and especially Nova Scotia, is very bright and positive."

The Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, is one of the top international events for representatives of aerospace and defence companies who wish to meet and conduct business.

Atlantic Canada industries are represented by the Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defence Associations, which includes Nova Scotia's Aerospace and Defence Industries Association. The Nova Scotia association played a leadership role in planning and organizing the trade delegation and is also participating in the event.

The Nova Scotia ministers joined companies from the Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defence Associations in meetings with strategic industry players, including EADS Airbus, EADS CASA, Alenia-Finnmechannica, BAE Systems and General Dynamics Canada.

Nova Scotia firms welcomed the role played by ministers Fage and d'Entremont.

"Having the minister with us here at Le Bourget has given us an unbelievable advantage," said Chuck Cartmill, president and CEO of C-Vision, an ISO 9001-2000 certified electronics manufacturing and design services company located in Amherst. "His presence here with us and the support that he has given us as an industry team have been invaluable.

"Developing leads and forging contacts and partnership linkages is what growing this business and this sector of the economy of Nova Scotia is all about. The minister has been a strong part of making that happen and making this trip so productive."

"This has proven to be an outstanding business-development opportunity for my company and for all the delegates who have attended this show," said Allen Dillon, director of aerospace and defence at xwave. "I am extremely proud to be part of the strongest Atlantic aerospace and defence contingent and to have been so solidly supported by the government of Nova Scotia."

Mr. Fage said he is optimistic that early adoption of the Boost Aero initiative -- an industry-wide integrated digital information exchange protocol for aerospace and defence supply chains -- will strategically place Nova Scotia's companies at the forefront of future opportunities. Nova Scotia's Aerospace and Defence Industries Association has strategically positioned Nova Scotia's industries at the leading edge of this new standard.

The trade component of the Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, concludes on Friday, June 17.