Information Technology Association Of Canada ("ITAC") Issues Retraction And Apology To Ipsos-Reid

Apology To Ipsos-Reid

On March 15, 2005, we circulated a communication to the wider ITAC ommunity expressing our view that the overall IT market would not be shrinking in Canada in 2005, notwithstanding the impression that may be left by a report in the Globe and Mail about a recent Ipsos-Reid study of corporate spending intentions. We did not mean to question the accuracy of Ipsos-Reid polling. We do not doubt that Ipsos-Reid's study was entirely accurate and based on sound methodology. ITAC does not question Ipsos-Reid's polling results or the methodology employed in its study, which can be useful to our members in understanding corporate buying intentions for the markets in question.

We apologize for and retract without reservation any statement in our communication that may be perceived as calling into question the professionalism or competency of Ipsos-Reid, which is a highly respected market research and public opinion polling firm.

About ITAC

ITAC is the voice of the Canadian information and communications technology industry. Together with its affiliated organizations across the country, the association represents 1300 companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry in all sectors including telecommunications and Internet services, ICT consulting services, hardware, microelectronics, software and electronic content. ITAC's network of companies accounts for more than 70 per cent of the 550,000 jobs, $130 billion in revenue, $5.2 billion in R&D investment, $18.7 billion in exports and $10.8 billion in capital expenditure that the sector contributes annually to the Canadian economy.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900

OR

Lynda Leonard
ITAC Communications
(613) 238-4822, ext. 223