President's Message

A big "HELLO" to all our STEP Members.
This is my first opportunity to communicate to the STEP membership since assuming my new position on April 28th. I am happy and even thrilled to tell you about how excited I am to be involved in this World Class organization. As someone who has been aware of the genesis of STEP, I must tell you that from the outside, I had certain expectations and understandings of STEP’s role, its duties and its deliverables. Today, I must tell you from the inside, I did not have a sense of the magnitude of STEP’s efforts and its effluence.

At the end of my first week, I sat in on a Trade Development Meeting where each Division spoke to their business plans and program and at the same time, discussed what they perceived their challenges to be going into the future. For a kid from rural Saskatchewan, it is quite exhilarating to be part of the programs of work undertaken by members who are successfully conducting business in Africa, Asia, Chile, China, Eastern/Western and a whole gambit of countries where STEP is playing a key role by having staff on the ground guiding Saskatchewan interests and seeking opportunities for members. Folks, the world is truly our oyster.

STEP In the NEWS
In mid May, STEP co-hosted our annual "Lets Talk Trade" Luncheon with our partners Export Development Canada. This year, EDC’s Chief Economist, Peter Hall provided some surprising comments about their forecast of dramatically lower oil prices ($75/barrel) and Canadian dollar values ($0.89) by the years end. If he’s right, you heard it here first. If not, please disregard the previous sentence!

During the week of May 12th the good news continued to flow. I was proud to be an attendee at the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce "SABEX" Awards where STEP members brought home the hardware. In the "New Product" category, Terminal Systems International won the award and in the coveted grand finale "Business of the Year". ITRACKS was rewarded for their outstanding efforts. We at STEP congratulate them.

But the week wasn’t over yet. On the same day, the provincial government released Saskatchewan’s year over year export totals. To the end of March, Saskatchewan is leading all provinces in Canada with a 36.3% increase in our exports. It is a good time to be from Saskatchewan.

What’s Up?
Lots is up! From the end of May right through to the first weeks of July are the some of the busiest times of the year for STEP with most of it pivoting around our role within the Western Canada Farm Progress Show (WCFPS) commencing in mid June. Confirmations have been received for International Buyers arriving from all over the globe combined with specific Trade Delegations from South East Asia, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, USA, and the Middle East to name a few. Our staff is mobilized and ready to role out the red carpet and become honorary ambassadors for all STEP Members.

Mark Your Calendar
Many of you have been notified about our upcoming event the Canada Trade Summit which is scheduled for Oct. 27 - 30, 2008. We are in the planning stages of an event that quite frankly we in Saskatchewan haven’t seen the likes of before. We will be making some exciting announcements in the weeks and months ahead about some key international speakers that you won’t want to miss. I encourage you to book early as this conference will be a sell out. Another date of note to our membership is September 25, 2008, which is the confirmed date of the STEP AGM. The event will be held in Saskatoon and will be followed by a membership Appreciation Networking Reception which will provide an opportunity for members to dialogue with new and present STEP Board members as well as STEP staff.

And Finally
STEP is a member driven organization and from my perspective, everything we do here is for you and about you. With this in mind, very shortly you will be invited to attend an impromptu meeting in your region. The purpose of these meetings is for me to get to know you, your company, and your goals and most important to ensure that I understand how we at STEP can best serve you.

I close off this first installment of what I hope will be many communications in the months and years ahead by encouraging you to work hard, work safe and build your dreams. Saskatchewan needs you.

Warmest regards,
Lionel LaBelle, President & CEO
Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP)

_______________________________________________________________________

New Members Welcome!

STEP would like to welcome the following companies that have recently joined as Regular Members:

Hilton Garden Inn Saskatoon Downtown is a full service hotel located in the heart of Saskatoon’s downtown business district,  directly across the street from the TCU Place Arts & Convention Centre and the Midtown Plaza Shopping Centre.  With 180 guestrooms and over 11,000 square feet of conference facilities, at the Hilton Garden Inn you will find - Everything. Right Where You Need It.

OPUS Advisory Services International, Inc. is a Management Counsultancy providing a range of business analysis, project management and consultancy services across Canada and on a global basis.  OPUS Advisory consults in international trade, export development and trade finance, with clients across a range of industry sectors, as well as in the public sector.

Royal Global Holdings Inc. is one of the leading trading companies in Canada.  Having strong presence in Singapore, Dubai, India, Uzbekistan and other representative offices throughout Asia and the Middle East.  Royal Global is also a distributor of Unilever Canada and master franchise of Coffee Time in Dubai, U.A.C.  More over, Royal Global is always interested in new ventures to expand their portfolio.

Stone Creek Consulting Inc. specializes in providing creative solutions for business owners, farmers, self-employed professionals and individuals.  Our expertise and value to our clients, is in finding alternative solutions to solve issues of taxation, succession planning and retirement.  Twenty-five years in the financial services industry provides us with the experience needed to design the right strategy and search for the right products for the successful implementation of the plans.

TCE Capital Corporation prides itself on fast, flexible, focused, and friendly funding.  We offer immediate cashflow options and are committed to providing you with a financing decision within 48 hours.  At TCE, you'll deal directly with decision makers.  TCE will provide funding tailored to your specific needs and we work closely with you to help maintain strong relationships with your bankers, suppliers, and customers.  Call on TCE to give your company cashflow you can count on.

_______________________________________________________________________

FARM Program Named Award Finalist

The FARM Program, which was launched in 2003 with the objective to support the reform of the Ukrainian agricultural sector and facilitate trade and investment links between Canada and Ukraine, has been recognized as a finalist for the AMEC INC. Award for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources or Protection of the Environment.  The AMEC Award is one of several that are given out as part of CME's Canadian Awards for International Cooperation.  __________________________________________________________________________

Members in the News

Itracks was named Business of the Year at the SABEX Awards.

The Canadian Light Source has secured funding from the federal government's 2008 budget and will receive $10 million to help with the facility's operating costs as well as $1.196 million to acqurie new equipment that will further solidify their reputation as a world leader in synchrotron technology.

Rachel Mielke, owner of Regina based jewellery company Hillberg & Berk, had a successful trip to the Academy Awards.  Mielke generated interest in her designs and celebrities such as Deidre Hall, Mario Lopez, Spike Lee, and Katie Couric all took home some of her designs.  Rachel was also named Young Entrepreneur at the Regina District Chamber of Commerce's Paragon Business Excellence Awards and will be appearing on CBC's "Dragon's Den".

The Saskatchewan Egg Producers (SEP) received $69,000 in funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to use toward the development of a processed, value-added, liquid egg product for specialty markets.

Viterra posted a $41.2 million profit  in the first quarter of its first fiscal year - a five fold increase over the first quarter profit of 2007.  The increase is attributed to improved margins, strong commodity prices, and last year's acquisition of Agricore United.

Areva Resources Canada Inc. received the Management Quality Award and Comfort Pak Canada received the Export Award at the North Saskatoon Business Association's 11th Annual Business Builder Awards Banquet on March 19th.

Cameco won 3 awards at the 2008 Investor Relations global rankings for North America.  Each of the awards was related to the company's online IR presence.  Their annual report, designed by Zu.com, was named the best in North America.

Canadian Green Fuels plans to build a new bio-diesel processing plant at a proposed site near McLean and plans to upgrade the existing plant located in Regina.

Western Economic Diversification (WED) Canada announced $268,000 for new video conferencing sites in 15 communities across the province to be used for meetings, training sessions, client counselling, and loan-assessment sessions.

Cameco President & CEO, Jerry Grandey, said the company has not ruled out a Saskatoon downtown office tower that would bring all of its employees under one roof.

__________________________________________________________________________

Bryon Burnett -- New STEP Board Member

STEP is pleased to welcome Bryon Burnett to our Board of Directors.  Brian has been with the Government of Saskatchewan for the past 30 years. During his career he has held a number of executive level positions: Assistant Deputy Minister of Industry and Resources, President and CEO of the Regina Regional Economic Authority, CEO of Centennial 2005, Executive Director of Grey Cup 1995, as well as acted as the Chair of the Board of several non-profit organizations.

In his role as CEO of the Centennial, Bryon had the unique opportunity to play a leadership role in developing the vision for the celebrations and leading the implementation of the plan.

Prior to the Centennial, Bryon was the President and CEO of the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority, on loan from his position as Assistant Deputy Minister of Industry and Resources. A proven economic development practitioner, he managed the Operations Division in Industry and Resources, which delivered services to businesses and co-operatives through regional offices, REDA’s and business development branches.

Bryon has over 10 years of executive level project management experience. Prior to the Centennial, assignments included leadership of Grey Cup ‘95, the Big Valley Jamboree, the Can-am Police and Fire Games, and the implementation of the VLT program across Saskatchewan.

Early years of Bryon’s career were spent in central agencies of the government including Treasury Board Division of Finance and Executive Council.

Bryon is married and has three children.

_______________________________________________________________________

New CEO is Going on Tour!

Here's your chance to meet Lionel LaBelle, new STEP President & CEO.  Lionel will be holding a number of meet & greets around the province in the month of June and would love to meet with you face-to-face, gather feedback, and learn more about your business.  Dates and locations are as follows:

Please RSVP to Janice Lawless @ 306-787-7919.

_______________________________________________________________________

Canada Trade Summit

STEP and Enterprise & Innovation have teamed up to host the first ever Canada Trade Summit being held in Saskatoon on October 27th-30th, 2008.

The Canada Trade Summit will be a unique conference designed to explore how companies can seize the opportunities and tackle the challenges they face in today's global market. 

Conference highlights include:

• 2 1/2 days of plenary and breakout sessions where you will hear from experts on topics such as currency, transportation, investment attraction, and more!
• Trade show and networking opportunities
• Face-to-face matchmaking sessions and one-on-one meetings in the Business Centre
• Gala Dinner on Wednesday, October 29th where the STEP Exporter of the Year award will be presented.

Click here to register or call Sarah Foster at 306-787-9210.

__________________________________________________________________________

Mongolian Ambassador Visits Saskatoon

STEP arranged for Mongolia's Ambassador to Canada, Ambassador Gotov, and Counsellor Gansukh to meet with Saskpower, Cameco, Morris Industries and the University of Saskatchewan during the Ambassadors visit to Saskatoon in April. Mongolia's Honorary Consul for Saskatchewan and STEP employee Tim Marshall accompanied the Mongolians on the visit. During their visit to the U of S, the Ambassador had an opportunity to meet with Mongolian students attending the institution as well as with a number of Mongolian residents in Saskatoon.

________________________________________________________________________________

Consulting Opportunities with the Canadian International Development Agency

For consultants who are looking to work on international development projects with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), there are a couple of new opportunities you may want to explore

CIDA Consultants Database
This database can be accessed for any contracts lower than $100,000. This database contains only consultants who specialize in international development.

To register, you must have at least two (2) years of experience in international development assistance. Your degrees/diplomas and/or experience must support your ability to help manage (plan, monitor, evaluate) international development assistance projects.

For more information, visit their website.

Cooperants - Work in a developing country as a cooperant on contract with CIDA
Cooperants are individuals engaged under the auspices of CIDA for services requiring specialized professional or technical expertise in developing countries. CIDA is looking for consultants with expertise in areas such as education, health, agriculture, environment and project management. CIDA is undertaking a recruitment process for this now.

To be eligible to register as a cooperant, individuals must be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status; occupy a permanent place of residence in Canada; and have at least three years of relevant experience in your professional or technical area of expertise.

If you are interested, send your resume and indication of interest to inscription_cooperant@acdi-cida.gc.ca.

If you are interested in learning more about international development project opportunities, please contact Angela Wasylynka, Director, International Finance and Logistics at awasylynka@sasktrade.sk.ca or 306-787-3972.

_____________________________________________________________

Discount on WorldTarrif

STEP has partnered with WorldTariff (a FedEx Trade Networks company) to provide you with access to worldwide duty and tax data. Trade Promotion Organizations worldwide offer WorldTariff access to its members in order to facilitate international trade.

Through our partnership with WorldTariff, STEP members receive a 10% discount off of the US$7 per query price. Unlike other duty and tax online providers, WorldTariff does not require an annual fee or a minimum purchase. Simply register your billing information and credit card online and query the WorldTariff database for a result, and log out.

Register Now! 

__________________________________________________________________________

STEP Mission Calendar

June 10-12, 2008
Global Petroleum Show, Calgary, AB
STEP will recruit member companies to participate in a trade mission to the Global Petroleum Show.  It will provide an opportunity to explore the latest issues surrounding the environment, labour, safety and health, exploration, production, oil sands and energy markets; one-on-one networking opportunity for buyers and sellers and a chance to view the latest innovations in equipment.  STEP plans to organize a business development mission that will involve a group display at the show, arrange, meetings with buyers, and represent non-attending members.  For more information, contact Nataliya Pasichnyk.

June 18-20, 2008
Western Canada Farm Progress Show, Regina, SK
STEP will be actively promoting WCFPS to attract incoming businesspeople involved in the purchase and distribution of agricultural equipment from markets around the world.  STEP will work directly with the International Business Center to facilitate international business between foreign visitors to the show and STEP members involved in agricultural equipment manufacturing.  For more information, contact Brenda Hawryluk.

June 28 – July 2, 2008
Institute of Food Technologies (IFT) 2008, New Orleans, LA
The IFT meeting and food exposition attracts almost 24,000 attendees from more than 75 countries around the world.  STEP will use this event to conduct market development work through networking opportunities, walking the show, setting up meetings for attending companies and building the Agri-Value team’s knowledge base in the industry.   For more information, contact Jillian McDonald.

July 1, 2008
Canadian Special Crops Association Conference, Montreal, QC
STEP will recruit member companies to participate at the CSCA Conference in Montreal to learn more about the new developments in pulse and special crops industry.  This key industry event will offer the opportunity to discuss issues, meet Canadian suppliers and international buyers, network with delegates, share information about trends in the industry and attend the trade exhibition. For more information, contact Tim Marshall.

August 26-28, 2008
Farm Progress Show, Boone Illinois
STEP will lead a mission of Agricultural Machinery members to the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Illinois.  This show is USA’s largest outdoor exposition of agricultural equipment in a market servicing the Midwest USA farming base.  For more information, contact Rob Ziola.

September 22-12, 2008
Oilsands Trade Show and Conference, Fort McMurray, AB
STEP will recruit member companies to participate in a trade mission to the Oilsands Trade Show & Convention. The Oil Sands Trade Show & Conference is a 2-day exhibition and one and a half day conference and workshop that unveils the latest technology, products and services available in the industry. STEP plans to organize a business development mission that will involve a group display at the show, arrange meetings with buyers, and represent non-attending members.  For more information, contact Nataliya Pasichnyk.

September 21-22, 2008
National Pet Industry Trade Show, Mississauga, ON
STEP will recruit member companies to participate in a trade mission to the National Pet Industry Trade Show.  For any pet industry related manufacturers or distributors, this is a "MUST DO" show!   Visitors will be anyone who makes their living in the pet industry, whether it be a pet store retailer, groomers, veterinarians, or pet sitters/walkers.   On this business development mission, STEP plans to organize a group display at the show, arrange meetings with buyers, and represent non-attending members.  For more information, conact Jill McDonald.

September 22-24, 2008
MINExpo International 2008, Las Vegas, Nevada
Operators worldwide see MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2008 as the venue to purchase and preview the latest state-of-the-art equipment and services to increase productivity and reduce costs. Will these dollars be spent with you? Or will the dollars be spent with your competitors?  STEP plans to organize a business development mission that will involve a group display at the show, arrange meetings with buyers, and represent non-attending members.  For more information, contact Guy Hughes.

September 30 - October 4, 2008
World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wisconsin
This is the international dairy meeting place, a five day event showcasing the finest in dairy genetics and the newest technologies available to the dairy industry.  STEP will organize a group display at this event and will look to introduce new STEP members into this agricultural niche industry as well as strengthen the position of suppliers already selling there.  For more information, contact Brenda Hawryluk.

October 5-6, 2008
Specialty and Ethnic Food Expo, Toronto, ON
Ethnic & Specialty Food Expo, including the All Things Organic™ Pavilion, is the only focused forum of its kind in Canada that fully addresses the trends and needs of the food industry, both retail and foodservice, as it responds and evolves to the wants of consumers.  For more information, contact Jennifer Evancio.

October 14-16, 2008
Enviropro 2008, Mexico City, MX
Enviro-Pro Mexico will be the premier meeting place in 2008 as it brings together members of the Mexican government and business community with the leading suppliers of innovative technologies to find solutions to the environmental problems that Mexico currently faces.STEP plans to organize a business development mission that will involve a group display at the show, arrange meetings with buyers, and represent non-attending members.  For more information, contact Guy Hughes.
 

October 19-23, 2008
SIAL Paris, Paris, France
SIAL Paris is the world’s second largest food exposition. As a showcase for innovation and a truly global business platform, SIAL is the world's leading food industry show. Over 140,000 visitors and 5,300 exhibitors are present at this key event for food industry professionals: food manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers and wholesalers, institutional and commercial catering etc.  For more information, contact Jillian McDonald.

_______________________________________________________________________

FITTskills Training

Legal Aspects of International Trade
June 14-15, 2008, Regina
Exam:  July 12, 2008

International trade law is a complex area that can directly affect your success in international trade. Legal Aspects of International Trade will give you a management perspective and make you fully aware of all of the international legal implications of your expansion into the global marketplace.

International Marketing
October 25-26, 2008
Project Due: November 29, 2008

Marketing is the part of your business that focuses on the customer. Nowhere is marketing more important than in the global marketplace where competition is fierce. International Marketing will teach you how to outdistance the competition.

International Market Entry Strategies
(formerly International Market Entry and Distribution)
October 18-19, 2008
Exam: November 22, 2008

Winning at international trade is more than just good marketing. You need a road map to getting your products where they need to go. International Market Entry & Distribution will help you chart a course to international markets and negotiate any obstacle.

_______________________________________________________________________

Workshop Prepares Your Business to Go Global

Is your business interested in exporting, but unsure of how to start? Does your business want to expand further into the international field, but is uncertain of what step to take next?

Trade Team Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority want to help your business explore exporting and international trade at Going Global: An Introduction to International Trade on September 10, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel in Saskatoon. A three-hour workshop starting at 10 a.m., Going Global will explain how to become involved in international trade, as well as how to increase profit margins through exporting.

Led by Wayne Robinson, a former federal trade commissioner in India, Germany and the United States, the workshop will provide information about risk management; international trade preparation, steps, and strategies; international marketing, finance, logistics, and distribution; and the legal aspects of international trade. The Going Global workshop will also feature presentations from several member organizations of Trade Team Saskatchewan which include, Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, Saskatchewan Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, business infosource, and Business Development Bank of Canada.

Cost for the workshop is $25 per person. For more information, contact Pat Rediger at prediger@benchmarkpr.ca or (306) 522-9326.

__________________________________________________________________________