News Release Archive

EDUCATION/CULTURE--EDUCATION MINISTER LEADS CANADIAN DELEGATION
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Education and Culture Minister Robbie Harrison has been selected
to lead a Canadian delegation to an international education
conference in the Philippines. Mr. Harrison is also taking this
opportunity to follow up on the success of the recent Team Canada
trade mission.

Beginning Feb. 25, Mr. Harrison will represent Canada at the
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council (SEAMEC)
conference in Manila. He was chosen to lead the delegation on
behalf of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC),
with his participation being funded by the Department of Foreign
Affairs.

Mr. Harrison said Canada has been represented at this conference
each year since 1986. "We're cementing relationships and raising
Canada's profile in Southeast Asia, a region with some of the
fastest growing economies in the world," he said. "I am honoured
to represent Canada, and share some of the many Canadian success
stories in Canadian education."

Mr. Harrison will take advantage of this opportunity to also
market the Nova Scotia education system, with a series of
meetings scheduled in both the Philippines and Thailand. The
meetings are to build on the momentum created by the recent Team
Canada mission, and previous contacts made by Nova Scotia
university, college and public school representatives in
Southeast Asia.

"The world has come to trust what we teach," he said. "When the
world thinks of excellence, I want them to think of Nova Scotia
first. This will open doors for business, for universities and
colleges, for our public school system, for Nova Scotians."

Mr. Harrison's schedule includes meetings with Philippine
representatives from the Asian Development Bank, government,
universities and the Commission on Higher Education. While in
Thailand, he will meet with officials to follow-up on a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Premier John Savage
and the Thai government in January. The MOU encourages both
Thailand and Nova Scotia to cooperate in education and training
at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels; to develop
specific education and training programs and projects between
institutions; and to cooperate in research and development.

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Contact: Donna MacDonald  902-424-2615

trp                      Feb. 21, 1997 - 2 p.m.