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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

                          EMPLOYEE SERVICES AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 15th day of October, 2000.

BETWEEN:

         BLADE INTERNET VENTURES INC.

         (herein the "Company")

AND:

         ERIC FREEMAN

         (herein the "Employee")

WHEREAS the Company has requested the Employee to perform management services
for the Company;

AND WHEREAS the Employee has agreed to perform the Services required by the
Company;

NOW THEREFORE this Agreement witnesseth that in consideration of the premises
and for other good and valuable consideration and the mutual covenants herein
contained, the Parties hereto hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1.       INTERPRETATION

1.1      For all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly
         provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

         (a)      "this Agreement" means this Agreement of Employment as from
                  time to time supplemented or amended by one or more agreements
                  entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof;

         (b)      the words "herein", "hereof' and "hereunder" and other words
                  of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not
                  to any particular paragraph, subparagraph or other
                  subdivision;

         (c)      the headings are for convenience only and do not form a part
                  of this Agreement nor are they intended to interpret, define
                  or limit the scope, extent or intent of this Agreement or any
                  portion hereof; and


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         (d)      a reference to a statute includes all regulations made
                  pursuant thereto, all amendments to such statute or
                  regulations enforced from time to time and any statute or
                  regulation which supplements or supercedes such statute or
                  regulation.

1.2      This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
         the laws of the Province of British Columbia.

2.       ENGAGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE FOR SERVICES

2.1      The Company hereby agrees to retain Eric Freeman to serve during the
         term of this Agreement subject to the terms hereof as Chief Executive
         Officer of the Company.

2.2      The "Term of Retainer" as used herein shall mean that period beginning
         on October 15, 2000 and continuing to October 15, 2005 unless this
         Agreement is earlier terminated pursuant to the terms of section 3
         hereof.

2.3      Subject as herein provided, during the Term of Retainer, Eric Freeman
         shall perform the services of Chief Executive Officer of the Company to
         carry out the polices and programs as established by the board of
         directors of the Company from time to time and Eric Freeman shall have
         all such powers and shall be entitled to exercise all such authority as
         is customarily held and exercised by a Chief Executive Officer in
         connection with his duties under this Agreement.

2.4      During the Term of Retainer the Company shall pay to the Employee a
         basic retainer fee of $8,000 US per month payable on the 31st day of
         each calendar month for the ensuing month and without deduction. In
         addition, the Company shall pay to the Employee the following: (all of
         the payments in this section 2.4 shall be referred to as "the
         Compensation")

         (a)      all vouchered out of pocket expenses incurred by the Employee
                  in connection with his duties under this Agreement, such
                  payments or reimbursements shall be made immediately upon
                  submission by the Employee of vouchers, bills or receipts for
                  such expenses;

         (b)      all reasonable fees, dues and expenses of Eric Freeman's
                  membership in one or more such clubs or organizations as are
                  customarily joined by executive officers of corporations of
                  similar size and that carry-on a similar type of business as
                  that carried on by the Company;

         (c)      payment of Medical Services Plan premium or equivalent Health
                  Benefits Plan for Eric Freeman plus his immediate family
                  members and dental expenses for the aforesaid persons to a
                  maximum of $5,000 in aggregate per year; and

         (d)      the Company will also pay for one (1) Vancouver-Kelowna return
                  flight per week or automobile travel expenses during the term
                  of this agreement; and


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         (e)      such rights and benefits under any stock option plan adopted
                  by the Company from time to time at the discretion of the
                  board of directors.

2.5      The Board of Directors of the Company shall in the month of October in
         each year review the Employee's total remuneration and shall increase
         its compensation:

         (a)      to compensate for any increase in the average cost of living
                  in Vancouver, British Columbia during the previous twelve
                  months period, but not less than 10%;

         (b)      to compensate for merit shown by Eric Freeman in the
                  performance of the duties being supplied by him.

2.6      During the Term of Retainer, the Employee shall be entitled not to
         provide services for 3 weeks annually for purposes of permitting him to
         have a holiday of not less than three weeks in each calendar year at
         such times has he may, using reasonable discretion as to the best
         interests of the Company, determine. The Employee shall advise the
         Board of Directors in advance of any holiday plans.

3.       TERMINATION

3.1      This Agreement shall have a term of five (5) years commencing October
         15, 2000.

3.2      Notwithstanding the term hereof, the Employee may terminate his
         retainer pursuant to this Agreement by giving the Company sixty days'
         written notice of his intention to terminate at any time. Such
         termination shall be without penalty to the Employee.

3.3      The Company may terminate the Employee without cause by providing
         twenty-four (24) months prior written notice of its intention to
         terminate same or by making payments equal to 24 times the monthly
         retainer in lieu of such notice or part thereof.

3.4      In the event of the Company terminating the Employee's retainer
         hereunder, the Company shall pay to or provide for the Employee the
         following:

         (a)      within thirty days of such termination the Compensation and
                  other remuneration to the date of termination and two years'
                  Compensation plus one month's Compensation for every year of
                  service in excess of one year as damages and compensation for
                  loss of office and for the termination of this employment
                  contract; and

         (b)      the continuation of all benefits provided pursuant to the
                  provisions of paragraph 2.4 hereof for the period of one year
                  or until Eric Freeman obtains employment elsewhere, whichever
                  occurs first.

3.5      In the event of the Employee terminating his employment hereunder
         pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3.2 hereof, the Company shall
         pay to or provide for the


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         Employee within thirty days of such termination the Compensation and
         other remuneration to the date of termination.

3.6      If the Employee's retainer hereunder shall terminate by reason of the
         death of Eric Freeman, then the Compensation and other remuneration and
         benefits payable to shall be payable to his wife (Cheryl McDermid) for
         a period of six (6) months after termination by virtue of the death of
         Eric Freeman.

3.7      This Agreement may be terminated by the Company without notice to the
         Employee if while performing the services of Chief Executive Officer he
         is guilty of fraud, gross neglect or willful misconduct.

4.       OBLIGATIONS OF THE EMPLOYEE

4.1      Eric Freeman agrees to act at all times in good faith and in the best
         interest of the Company.

5.       SEVERABILITY

5.1      If any provision of this Agreement is unenforceable or invalid for any
         reason whatsoever, such provision shall be severable from the remainder
         of this Agreement and validity of the remainder shall continue in full
         force and effect and be construed as if this Agreement had been
         executed without the invalid or unenforceable provision.

6.       WAIVER

6.1      No consent or waiver, express or implied, by any Party to or of any
         breach or default by any other party of any or all of its obligations
         under this Agreement will:

         (a)      be valid unless it is in writing and stated to be a consent or
                  waiver pursuant to this paragraph;

         (b)      be relied upon as a consent or waiver to or of any other
                  breach or default of the same or any other obligation;

         (c)      constitute a general waiver under this Agreement; or

         (d)      eliminate or modify the need for a specific consent or waiver
                  pursuant to this paragraph in any other or subsequent
                  instance.


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7.       NOTICE

7.1      All notices, requests, demands or directions to one Party of this
         Agreement to another shall be in writing and delivered as follows:

         (a)      if to the Company:

                  Blade Internet Ventures Inc.

         (b)      if to the Employee:

                  Eric Freeman

or to such other address as may be specified to one Party to the other in a
notice given in the manner herein provided.

8.       ENTIRE AGREEMENT

8.1      This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement between the Parties and
         there are no representations or warranties, express or implied,
         statutory or otherwise or no agreements collateral hereto other than
         expressly set forth or referred to herein.

9.       ASSIGNMENT

9.1      This Agreement is non-assignable by any of the parties hereto without
         the prior written consent of the other parties.

10.      CONSTRUCTION

10.1     The relationship of the parties hereto is to be construed as employee
         and not as a master and servant relationship.

11.      BINDING EFFECT

11.1     This Agreement shall be binding upon and enure to the benefit of the
         parties and their respective successors.

12.      ARBITRATION

12.1     Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement
         or any breach of this Agreement shall be finally settled by arbitration
         in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration Act of British
         Columbia.


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day
and year first above written.

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED

THE COMPANY                                      THE EMPLOYEE

NAME:  BLADE INTERNET VENTURES                   NAME:  ERIC FREEMAN

                                                 -------------------------------
                                                 Signature
TITLE:  C.E.O.

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Signature

NAME:  DAVID NORMAN

TITLE:   PRESIDENT

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Signature