The Canadian Space Commerce Association Annual Meeting program is now available from the CSCA web site.

The CSCA has a great group of speakers lined up.

The keynote speaker for the 1 day meeting at the MaRS Discovery District is Dr. Christian Sallaberger of MDA, Canada's largest space company and one of the primary winners of last weeks budget announcement. Sallaberger's talk will be on 'Structuring for Success in the Commercial Space Sector' and I'm sure we'll hear a bit about the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.

But for Canadian businesses to succeed in this tough sector there are many issues they must deal with. They include export controls and when doing business in the United States the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). ITAR reforms are being discussed in Washington with the Obama administration expected to make some changes. To address this issue the CSCA has invited Michael Mineiro, an attorney and the Boeing Fellow at Air and Space Law at McGill University to talk about 'Export Controls and their Impact on the Canadian Space Sector'.

Are you looking to find capital for your new business? Eva-Jane Lark, Host of EVA Interviews: The Business of the new Space Age™ and Vice-President, BMO Nesbitt Burns will speak on the topic of 'Preparing for the Money Conversation' What does a Space entrepreneur need to do to prepare before they start talking to investors, and raising capital? This presentation will discuss the current Space investment environment, recent developments and emerging trends.

Other important issues to be addressed at the meeting include government tax credits in the form of Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED), Industrial and Regional Benefits Program (IRB), patents and workforce development for the space industry in Canada.

The meeting is an opportunity for academics, businesses, government agencies and students to come together and learn from one another, to network and to help further the Canadian commercial space sector. I look forward to seeing you there. Registration is open but seating is limited. So register today.

http://spacecommerce.ca/agm2010

This week in space for Canada is quiet but important and all about the boring programs available to help Canadian business making a living off our final frontier.

After all, businesses operating space related ventures have been commercially viable since at least the 1960's when the first Early Bird satellite was successfully launched into geosynchronous orbit according to David M. Livingston in his paper, Space: The Final Financial Frontier.

And Canadian companies have always been leaders in this area, beginning with the launch of the Allouette and Anik satellites and moving forward from there.  Read more at SpaceRef Canada.