It dates back to when space was at a premium on those beige computer cards. Only two spots were given for the year. But years have four digits.

According to a federal task force, about nine per cent of Canadian businesses do not understand the problem, John Locke, Power Corp.'s systems information director, said.

Locke spoke on the issue at the recent NWT Chamber of Commerce quarterly meeting at the Ptarmigan Inn in Hay River.

Forty-six per cent of Canadian companies surveyed have no plan, Locke said.

"Whose problem is it? It's a technical problem but far more it's a management problem. It's also a legal problem. This usually gets the attention of company directors and presidents."

There are also insurance issues. Business interruption insurance may not cover down time resulting from the year 2000 problem.

Stage three, panic.

Locke said Power Corp. has had an information technology plan to prepare for the year 2000 problem.

"All internal systems will be upgraded by Dec. 31, 1999," he said.

The utility is also contacting major suppliers to make sure they to are prepared, he said.

Evidence that it can cause problems has surfaced via credit cards at one US retail chain's cash registers, Lock said.

Registers read the zero zero expiry date and crash, he said.

"Generally, new systems comply and there are packages out there (to correct the problem)," he said.

"But there's no magic bullet."