Governor George Pataki and Quebec Premier Jean Charest will be the featured speakers at the third Quebec-New York Economic Summit, co-sponsored by The Business Council and its affiliate the Homeland Security Council of New York State (HSC), October 4-5 in Albany.

The summit, hosted by Governor Pataki and Premier Charest, will give businesses leaders from both countries opportunities to discuss technology, energy, tourism development, marketing, venture capital, transportation and border issues.

“The 2002 and 2004 Summits in Plattsburgh and Montreal led to historic progress in terms of major transportation investments, new border facilities and services, exciting technology collaborations, tourism development initiatives and more," said Garry Douglas, president and CEO of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce. "This year's Albany location provides a special opportunity for highlighting and furthering cross-border technology collaboration, bringing together 'New York's Tech Valley' and the technology clusters of Quebec, including components dedicated to nano technology, energy-related technologies, homeland security, biotech, and other shared sectors."

“This is an important event for New York businesses wanting to advance their opportunities across the northern trade border,” said Janet Looby, coordinator of the HSC. “It also will help businesses understand the policies and issues that impact trade.”

The event will open with a welcome reception at Albany Nanotech. Representatives of Albany Nanotech, NanoQuebec and Commissariate a l’Energie Atomique/Laboratoire d’ Electronique et de Technologie de l’Information, a French nano technology research organization, will also be present.

The agenda also includes a progress report on the region by Garry Douglas and Francoise Bertrand, the president of the Quebec Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, as well as workshops on transportation, technology, tourism and energy.

The Business Council and its affiliate are co-sponsoring the summit with the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, Chamber de Commerce du Montreal Metropolitain, Empire State Development, Federation des Chambres de Commerce Du Quebec, New York's Tech Valley Chamber Coalition, and the Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit www.homelandsecuritynys.org/events/2005/quebec-NY.pdf.