The Accelerated School Administrator Program (ASAP), developed by Etraffic Solutions in partnership with the Council for Educational Change (CEC), has renewed their agreement with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).  NAESP will continue to make the program available for members through their website.  ASAP provides professional development in an interactive, online format that develops school administrators into effective leaders, ready for today's challenging school environment.
 
"In today's economic climate, school districts nationwide must still provide high-quality leadership development, despite having fewer financial resources.  ASAP tools provide the solution to this dilemma.  ASAP assessments identify a candidate's areas of need and strength, while ASAP modules offer individualized learning to build on strengths and address areas of need.  ASAP's online Portfolio documents learning and builds a professional resume.  ASAP tools provide a cost effective, proactive solution to leadership preparation that helps administrators position themselves for success," notes John Juricic, Partner, Etraffic Solutions. 
 
ASAP modules were adopted by the state of Florida for online leadership preparation.  They also qualify for NAESP Continuing Education Unit credits.  Topics include communication skills, community and stakeholder relationships, parent partnerships, continuous improvement, decision-making strategies, diversity, ethical leadership, instructional leadership, human resource development, creating a learning environment and data analysis.

Fred Brown, Senior Associate Executive Director for the NAESP says, "We are committed to providing the research, tools, and learning experiences that enable our members to prepare students to be highly adaptive learners in a rapidly changing world.  ASAP continues to meet the professional development and assessment needs of principals and we are pleased to offer the program to our members."  

About Etraffic Solutions Inc.
Etraffic Solutions Inc. is one of North America's leading e-learning solutions providers, providing products and services to the education industry and a variety of corporate clients.  With a proven track record in both online and print learning models, Etraffic Solutions has the capability of delivering education and training materials on virtually any platform and in any format.  For more information, visit www.etrafficsolutions.com.
 
About The Council for Educational Change (CEC)
The Council for Educational Change is a Florida-wide, non-profit organization whose mission is to improve leadership to strengthen academic performance for all children.  CEC is a legacy organization of the Annenberg Challenge and was formerly the South Florida Annenberg Challenge.  For more information, please visit www.changeeducation.org.
 
About the NAESP
Established in 1921, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) serves 30,000 elementary and middle school principals in the United States, Canada, and overseas.  NAESP leads in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle-level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children.
 
For additional information on the Accelerated School Administrator Program visit www.asapportal.com or contact:

Amanda Jorgensen
1-866-658-8238 ext. 38
ajorgensen@etrafficsolutions.com

The Science Fair Foundation of British Columbia (SFF BC) is partnering with the British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) to enhance and deliver The Science Fair Program across B.C.

"This new partnership expands student outreach from Kindergarten to Grade 12, significantly increasing participation in science fairs throughout the province," said Dean Rockwell, CEO, BCIC. "Through B.C.'s regional science and technology councils, BCIC will engage technology industries with local communities to increase science fair activities at all education levels."

The Science Fair Program serves as a connecting point for industry, science fair alumni, mentors, educators, and students. It supports the promotion and awareness of regional science fairs, assists teachers in the classroom, and provides opportunities for members of B.C.'s technology industries to connect with students.

"Science fairs offer students the opportunity of discovery," said Patti Leigh, Executive Director, SFF BC. "The valuable skills and experiences gained by participating in the program enable students to achieve many great successes. In British Columbia, there are numerous success stories of science fair alumni moving forward to accomplish great things."

At the young age of 30, Devon Ross is one such science fair alumni. She is a science teacher extraordinaire at Vancouver Technical Secondary School and has been recognized nationally with a Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in May 2008. Science fairs had a strong impact on her life and she hopes that her story, passion and dedication will inspire students to pursue science as she did.

"For me, science fair projects provided a unique medium for examining the world around us. I gained the confidence and passion to teach science through these new discoveries and by also having the opportunity to share my work with professors and scientists," said Ross. "I see these same revelations and sense of belonging as my students participate in science fairs. As a teacher, science fairs allow students freedom in their learning to pursue an experiment or study that interests them. This builds positive attitudes towards science and encourages active learning and creativity."

By bringing scientists into schools, hosting student career fairs, and organizing industry school tours, BCIC and SFF BC are providing students with opportunities to explore and enjoy science. This shared passion for supporting excellence in science is connecting young innovators with mentors in the science and technology fields-inspiring the next generation of leaders who will play a crucial role in B.C.'s future.

VICTORIA, BC, Canada. – October 27, 2008 – Seeker Solutions announced today its official release of Sprout 1.0, a free, online, personalized news aggregator software that allows users to obtain the latest top news stories and blogs tailored to their individual preferences.  Seeker Solutions created Sprout to solve the challenges of trying to sift through mass amounts of information online.  As Internet users become more pressed for time, Sprout enables every user to effortlessly find news articles or blogs that are relevant to them.

Seeker Solutions’ unique relationship-based software engine that powers Sprout allows users to easily access a wide-range of content from thousands of news sources and blogs.  Once Sprout is conveniently downloaded to the user’s computer, users are able to immediately begin training their Sprout interface with their individual interests. 

Sprout is a concept created by a team of young entrepreneurs in Victoria, B.C. who had a vision of making life easier by finding maximum efficiency where people and technology come together.  In searching for a solution to information overload, Seeker Solutions has created a powerful relevancy engine that has wide-reaching applications anywhere data is overwhelming.  With Sprout, a light consumer-level infotainment product, Seeker Solutions is able to highlight the power of relevant, cross referenced results; in this case, personally relevant news and blog articles. 

“Before Sprout, using search engines or news services to obtain news that interests you required extensive searching; you had to know exactly what you wanted every time or flounder through reams of irrelevant information,” said, Duncan MacRae, founder and Director of Operations.  “With Sprout, you no longer have to do that.  You save time and only get the news you want.”

To learn more about Sprout, visit www.yoursprout.com. 

About Seeker Solutions

Seeker Solutions, Inc. is based in Victoria, B.C.  Founded in 2006, the company is developing innovative technologies that enable users to find relevant content.  The company’s search methodologies and unique cataloguing algorithms allow for truly customized searches.   For more information about the company, please visit www.seekersol.ca.  Or, contact Catherine Prestwich at cprestwich@seekersol.ca and 250-483-4129.

###

Media Contact:

Anna Vue
PR for Seeker Solutions
Phone +1 (916) 595-8157
anna@crossborderpr.com

PITTSBURGH, OCTOBER 15, 2008 – Vocollect Healthcare Systems, Inc. and Vigil Health Solutions, a leading provider of healthcare products for the long-term care industry in North America, including nurse call systems, wireless call, bed monitoring, resident check in and the award-winning Vigil Dementia System, announce an agreement where Vigil will resell AccuNurse voice-assisted care as part of its long-term care solutions offerings to its customer base.

AccuNurse gives caregivers the option to access resident care needs on-demand, complete documentation of care simply by talking, enhance care-team collaboration with the Silent Page^™ capability, and track improved clinical outcomes.

“Communities around the country are looking for solutions that take standards of care to higher levels, provide options to manage risk, and improve staff efficiency” said Troy Griffiths, president and CEO of Vigil Health Solutions. “Voice-assisted care is a natural complement to our portfolio of emergency and nurse call solutions, enabling clients to provide a full continuum of care through the use of unobtrusive systems. The industry is demanding more homelike environments and we believe no other portfolio of solutions delivers this like Vigil plus AccuNurse.”

“We’re excited about our agreement with Vigil Health Solutions,” said James Quasey, president of Vocollect Healthcare Systems. “With great sensing and call technology offered by Vigil, plus personalized service with voice-assisted care, caregivers will use technology to their advantage like never before. Communities now have the tools to stay on top of resident needs, in real time, knowing caregivers have the information they need – right in their ears. By complementing their adaptable solutions with AccuNurse, we believe Vigil now offers the most advanced solution in the delivery of care, as well as opening a potentially significant new channel for revenue growth.”

British Columbia’s collaborative program with India, promoting research and development in environmental technologies and life sciences, is seeking expressions of interest from British Columbian and Indian biotechnology research organizations and companies, announced Ida Chong, Minister of Technology, Trade and Economic Development.

“In June, B.C. announced this joint initiative with India and I’m very pleased to see this program is moving forward so quickly,” said Chong, who is also the Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative. “British Columbia is very proud of the cultural and economic ties we have already developed with India, our Asia-Pacific partner. I hope many B.C.-based companies will take advantage of our program and develop their own relationships in India.”

 British Columbia and India both committed $1 million to create the program. The objective of the program is to fund collaborative research and development projects with commercial potential between British Columbian and Indian companies.

 The joint funding also supports internships for students and researchers who will work in the other jurisdiction on research and development projects.

 International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), a federally mandated, not-for-profit organization is overseeing the expressions of interest process and will also contribute to successful projects involving B.C. and India.

 Parties have until Oct. 24, 2008 to submit expressions of interest in the fields of convergent medical technologies, clean biotechnology, health and biopharma. All expressions must involve a Canadian and Indian company, details on how the project will benefit Canada and India and proof the party can complete the project and handle future commercialization.

 More detailed information is available on ISTPCanada’s website, www.istpcanada.ca.

 The B.C.-India partnership mirrors a bi-lateral science and technology initiative between Canada and India. While all Canadian companies and institutions are eligible to receive funding through the federal program, only B.C.-based organizations will be able to access grants from the British Columbia-specific program.

Since June 2001, British Columbia has committed over $1.7 billion to research in B.C., and has leveraged more than $1 billion in added research funding from other sources.

Provincially supported research, innovation and technology provide a long-term foundation for a strong and vibrant economy, a sustainable environment and safe, healthy communities, both within British Columbia and worldwide.

VICTORIA – By helping companies registered with the provincial government’s venture capital programs to provide tax credit certificates quickly and efficiently, the Province is taking another step to encourage innovation and reward investors in B.C.’s dynamic small business sector, Technology, Trade and Economic Development Minister Ida Chong announced today.

“Venture capital keeps British Columbia’s vibrant technology companies competitive and strong,” said Chong. “The Province has already streamlined its processes to reduce the amount of time that clients registered in these programs spend filling out and completing forms. Now the ministry has introduced a web-based system that will simplify and speed up the process of applying for and distributing the tax credit certificates, making it easier for eligible investors to claim their 30 per cent tax credit.”

The electronic Tax Credit Application (eTCA) is a system that allows eligible companies to submit investment data to the provincial government on-line and retrieve tax credit certificates quickly for their investors.

 “The introduction of this new on-line system will not only reduce the administrative burden for technology companies, but also accelerate the process and shorten the time to access money, which is often critical,” said Pascal Spothelfer, president of the BC Technology Industry Association.

 Before eTCA, companies sent their investor information to the British Columbia Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development’s Investment Capital Branch in Victoria. Ministry staff entered the information into a computer system, then printed and mailed the tax credit certificates to individual investors. Now companies can submit data on their capital investment intake to government and get back tax credit verification electronically right away for their investors, saving time and processing costs.

 The Province provides a 30 per cent tax credit to British Columbia residents when they purchase shares directly in a venture capital corporation or eligible business corporation registered with the provincial government.

 Eligible British Columbia businesses have enjoyed steady success in raising venture capital: $18 million in 2004, $22 million in 2005, $43 million in 2006, $80 million in 2007 and an anticipated $83 million for 2008. These investments help employ British Columbians and enable B.C. companies to thrive and grow, providing critically important seed capital for emerging small businesses across the province.

Venture capital companies and eligible business corporations must be registered with the provincial government in order to utilize eTCA to serve their investors.

More information on the investment capital programs is available on the Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development’s website at www.gov.bc.ca/ecdev

Hector MacKay-Dunn, Q.C., Chair, British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC), is pleased to announce the appointment of R. Dean Rockwell as Chief Executive Officer.

"I am delighted to welcome Mr. Rockwell back to B.C. as tangible evidence of our continuing efforts to add to the global technology expertise in the Province," said Mr. MacKay-Dunn. "With over twenty years of worldwide technology leadership and corporate experience, the Board is confident in Mr. Rockwell's leadership skills and in his ability to drive innovation to commercial success and to further enhance our culture of innovation in British Columbia."

Mr. Rockwell brings to his new role an ideal combination of vision and international experience. Prior to joining BCIC, Mr. Rockwell was the Vice President and General Manager of the worldwide Digital Media Networks business unit within Cisco's Service Provider Video Technology Group based in Atlanta, Georgia. Before that he was based in Brussels, Belgium where he held full P&L responsibility for all European operations in addition to the Transmission Networks business unit in the region. In both assignments he distinguished himself by achieving major business expansions with outstanding profitability.

"I am excited by this opportunity and look forward to working with industry, academia, government and the talented staff at BCIC as together we capitalize on all that British Columbia has to offer," said Rockwell. "It is a pleasure to be back in British Columbia and to work with some of the best and brightest minds – in B.C. and globally."

"In choosing Mr. Rockwell, what impressed us was not only his experience but his interest in building on our organization's strengths and maximizing our province's innovation capabilities," said Mr. MacKay-Dunn. "A graduate of BCIT and Simon Fraser University, Mr. Rockwell will give BCIC the management and entrepreneurial skills needed to directly impact the long-term success of B.C.'s knowledge economy."

Mr. Rockwell's biography

Dean Rockwell comes to the British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) with a proven track record as a dynamic and innovative leader of technology intensive organizations. He possesses a unique blend of technical and strategic business acumen gained from over 20 years of international leadership experience in the areas of product development, marketing, sales and operations. He also has extensive experience with mergers and acquisitions from his years at Scientific Atlanta and Cisco.

Dean possesses an invaluable understanding of different business environments and has conducted business internationally in both developed and emerging markets worldwide.

Before joining BCIC in September 2008, Dean was the Vice President and General Manager of the worldwide Digital Media Networks business unit within Cisco’s Service Provider Video Technology Group based in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to that, he was based in Brussels, Belgium where he held full P&L responsibility for all European operations in addition to the Transmission Networks business unit in the region. In both assignments he distinguished himself by achieving major business expansions with outstanding profitability.

Dean is committed to continual growth and learning, both for the organization and personally. He graduated from the Electrical Engineering Technology program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1987. In 1990 he completed the Management Skills for Advanced Technology program at Simon Fraser University. In addition, he has completed a number of other graduate studies programs including the General Electric, Management Skills Development Course and more recently at the Harvard Business School, the Cable Television Association of Marketing University program.

Dean lives in West Vancouver with his wife and son. His interests include spending time with his family, actively participating in community organizations, running marathons, skiing, sailing and staying abreast of current affairs.

Hector MacKay-Dunn, Q.C., Chair, British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC), is pleased to announce the appointment of R. Dean Rockwell as Chief Executive Officer.

"I am delighted to welcome Mr. Rockwell back to B.C. as tangible evidence of our continuing efforts to add to the global technology expertise in the Province," said Mr. MacKay-Dunn. "With over twenty years of worldwide technology leadership and corporate experience, the Board is confident in Mr. Rockwell's leadership skills and in his ability to drive innovation to commercial success and to further enhance our culture of innovation in British Columbia."

Mr. Rockwell brings to his new role an ideal combination of vision and international experience. Prior to joining BCIC, Mr. Rockwell was the Vice President and General Manager of the worldwide Digital Media Networks business unit within Cisco's Service Provider Video Technology Group based in Atlanta, Georgia. Before that he was based in Brussels, Belgium where he held full P&L responsibility for all European operations in addition to the Transmission Networks business unit in the region. In both assignments he distinguished himself by achieving major business expansions with outstanding profitability.

"I am excited by this opportunity and look forward to working with industry, academia, government and the talented staff at BCIC as together we capitalize on all that British Columbia has to offer," said Rockwell. "It is a pleasure to be back in British Columbia and to work with some of the best and brightest minds – in B.C. and globally."

"In choosing Mr. Rockwell, what impressed us was not only his experience but his interest in building on our organization's strengths and maximizing our province's innovation capabilities," said Mr. MacKay-Dunn. "A graduate of BCIT and Simon Fraser University, Mr. Rockwell will give BCIC the management and entrepreneurial skills needed to directly impact the long-term success of B.C.'s knowledge economy."

Protox Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: PRX), a leader in the development of receptor targeted fusion proteins, today announced positive 12 month data from its Phase 1 study of PRX302 in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common and bothersome urological condition among the aging male population. The trial results indicate that PRX302 continues to show very promising signs of therapeutic activity at 12 months following a single treatment of PRX302.

 "The impact of PRX302 on the quality of life of most patients has continued to be dramatic," commented Dr. Peter Pommerville, co-principal investigator at Can-Med Clinical Research Centre in Victoria, B.C. "Unlike other minimally invasive techniques, the most impressive feature of PRX302 treatment is the sustainability of symptom improvement and a low side effect profile."

 "We are very pleased with the twelve month data and the positive response from our clinical investigators," said Dr. Fahar Merchant, President and Chief Executive Officer of Protox. "The extended duration of improvement in symptom scores following a single treatment are compelling especially when a reduction in IPSS by greater than four points is deemed to be highly clinically significant."

Study Design:

 This study was an open-label, multi-centre, dose escalation study where the primary endpoint was safety and tolerability following a single intra-prostatic administration of PRX302. The secondary endpoint was to determine therapeutic activity as measured by the change in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) following treatment, when compared to screening. In addition, changes in Quality of Life (QoL) scores and prostate volume were also monitored. A total of 15 patients with moderate to severe BPH were treated in this trial. Most patients treated in this study were either refractory or intolerant to oral therapy.

Study Results:

 Therapeutic activity of PRX302 was evaluated at 12 months post-treatment using standardized symptom indices, namely, IPSS and QoL. IPSS assesses the severity of seven key symptoms of BPH, (incomplete emptying, frequency, intermittency, urgency, weak stream, straining and nocturia). The QoL score is measured on a scale from 0-6 with 0 defined as "delighted" and 6 defined as "terrible" with respect to patient quality of life due to BPH.

 As reported earlier this year, treatment related symptomatic relief was rapid and substantial benefits were noticed by day-30 post-treatment without any safety issues. Both symptom scores (IPSS and QoL) continued to show further improvements in all cohorts at the end of the active study period (day-90 post-treatment) indicating a potential for sustained benefit following a single treatment with PRX302.

 Following the active study period, 14 of 15 patients continued to be followed at 12 months post treatment and the IPSS scores continue to show a statistically significant improvement from screening (p (less than) 0.01). The mean IPSS values improved by an average of 6.5 points from 19.2 +/- 4.5 at screening to 12.7 +/- 4.6 at 12 months post treatment. The improvements were observed across all seven symptom sub-scores.

 Improvement in QoL scores were observed in all five cohorts. Independent of the treatment group, QoL scores continue to show a statistically significant improvement from an average of 4.6 +/- 1.0 at screening to 2.6 +/- 1.6 at 12 months (p (less than) 0.01), a 44% improvement. Furthermore, prostate volume decreased in all cohorts. Irrespective of cohort assignment, the mean prostate volume decreased by over 13% from 43.6 cc at screening to 38.1 cc at 12 month post-treatment.

 As announced previously, enrollment of Protox's Phase 2a study evaluating PRX302 for the treatment of BPH has been completed. Top-line data from this study will be released in the fourth quarter of 2008.

About BPH

 BPH is a common urological condition characterized by painful and bothersome symptoms that include difficulty in initiating a urine stream, a sense of urgency, leaking, dribbling and presence of blood in the urine. The condition affects over 50 million men throughout North America, Europe and Japan. More than half of all men will have symptoms of BPH by age 60 and as many as 90% may suffer from BPH after the age of 70. Left untreated, it can result in serious and possibly irreversible bladder damage. Current drug therapies only provide symptomatic relief and may trigger a range of side effects including impotence and hypotension. Surgical options such as TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), which constitute the second-largest item in the US Medicare budget, can cause impotence, incontinence as well as other more serious procedure related effects. According to Wood Mackenzie (2007), the market opportunity for therapies used to treat BPH was US $5.5 billion in drug therapies and US $4 billion in surgical procedures.

About PRX302

 PRX302 is the lead drug in the company's PORxin(TM) technology platform. PORxin drugs are pore-forming pro-drugs that are activated by specific proteases produced at elevated levels on the surface of target cells. PRX302 has been generated by engineering the naturally occurring toxin proaerolysin so that it is activated by prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an enzyme that is overproduced in patients suffering from prostate cancer and BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate). Once activated, the drug punches holes in the cells causing the contents to leak out and ultimately cell death.

About Protox

 Protox Therapeutics is a leader in advancing novel, receptor targeted fusion proteins. Two novel drug candidates derived from the company's INxin(TM) and PORxin(TM) platforms are being developed in three clinical programs. A Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating PRX321 (INxin) for the treatment of primary brain cancer has been completed and the drug has received Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Status from the US FDA and EMEA. Phase 2a clinical trials evaluating PRX302 (PORxin) for the treatment of localized prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) are ongoing. Protox is also collaborating with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a research program focused on the discovery of next generation fully human targeted therapeutics.

Certain statements included in this press release may be considered forward-looking. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on Protox' current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Protox and relate to, among other things, anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies, regulatory developments, market acceptance and future commitments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by Protox in its public securities filings; actual events may differ materially from current expectations. Protox disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

Eric Jordan is the new co-president of the Premier’s Technology Council (PTC). The PTC advises the B.C. government on issues related to the advancement and application of technology in the province.

A member of the PTC for the past four years, Mr. Jordan is prominent in the B.C. business and technology community and has a demonstrable track record of success. He was co-founder of PureEdge Solutions, a software company which developed a unique architecture for digital transactions.

As its president and CEO from 1993 to 2002, Jordan guided the company from its infancy to become a profitable organization with over 70 employees and over five million end users. Their client list included the US Air Force, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the US Federal Trade Commission, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. After IBM purchased PureEdge and turned it into its Victoria Software Development Lab, Jordan moved on to become the Executive-in-Residence in the Business Faculty at the University of Victoria.

“Eric has been a valuable member of the council and we are fortunate that he has agreed to assume this expanded role,” said Greg Peet, PTC co-chair. “Not only does he have valuable hands-on experience as a technology executive, he is also a long-time B.C. resident and is passionate about making the province a success.”

The Premier’s Technology Council was appointed in August 2001 to inform the Premier on all technology-related issues and advise government on how to make B.C. a global magnet for high-tech investment, growth and job creation. More information about the council and copies of its reports and recommendations are available on the Premier’s website at: www.gov.bc.ca/prem/popt/technology_council/