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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.24

                    [LETTERHEAD OF PORTACOM WIRELESS. INC.]



                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                              --------------------

                           FOR:  DOUGLAS C. MACLELLAN

                                JANUARY 1, 1997


This Agreement is executed by and between Douglas C. MacLellan ("you", "your" or
"yourself") and PortaCom Wireless, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "PortaCom"
or "We")

This Agreement, once signed by you,  will serve to confirm our mutual
understanding and agreement regarding the provisions of an employment
relationship as described in any and all previous agreements, whether oral or
written.


1.   Nature of Employment.  You will be employed by PortaCom Wireless, Inc. as
     --------------------
     its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President, and will perform such
     duties and assume such additional assignments as may be assigned to you
     from time to time by the Board of Directors of PortaCom. You agree to
     devote reasonable business time, attentions and energies to performing your
     duties for PortaCom and its affiliates faithfully and to the best of your
     abilities.

2.   Term of Employment.  Your employment and compensation with PortaCom are "at
     ------------------
     will" in that they can be terminated with or without cause, and with or
     without notice, at any time, at the option of either PortaCom or yourself,
     except as otherwise provided by law. The terms of this Agreement,
     therefore, do not and are not intended to create either an express and/or
     implied term of employment with PortaCom. No manager or representative of
     PortaCom, other than the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee,
     acting together, has authority to enter into any agreement for employment
     for any specified period of time or to make any agreement or contract to
     the foregoing, and any promises to the contrary may only be relied upon by
     you if they are in writing and signed by the Board of Directors or the
     Compensation Committee of PortaCom. In the event this Agreement is
     terminated by either of us, with or without cause, you shall be entitled
     only to your salary compensation as provided in paragraph 3 through the
     date of your termination. In the event of any termination of employment,
     this Agreement shall terminate except that your obligations pursuant to
     paragraph 4 shall continue to survive such termination and PortaCom's
     obligations pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 4 shall survive such termination.
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Douglas C. MacLellan
January 1, 1997                                                      Page 2 of 3


3.   Compensation.  You will be compensated with a monthly salary in the amount
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     of US $16,000.00 to be paid in accordance with PortaCom's normal payroll
     practices. You will continue to be entitled to such employee fringe
     benefits as PortaCom, in its discretion, makes available generally from
     time to time to its executives. Upon presentation of proper documentation
     in accordance with PortaCom's practice and prevailing Internal Revenue
     Service guidelines, other ordinary and reasonable out-of-pocket business
     expenses will also be reimbursed. Should PortaCom cease, at any time
     hereinafter, to be governed by and subject to the policies of the Vancouver
     Stock Exchange, you will receive a lump sum payment of four month's salary
     in the event you are terminated by the Company during the period of this
     contract.

4.   Arbitration.  Because PortaCom is an early-stage company, we think it is
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     wise to include a provision dealing with how we will resolve any dispute in
     the unforeseen event that we should have one.  We are reluctant even to
     discuss this subject because we do not foresee the likelihood of any such
     dispute.  But, we believe prudence dictates that we think about this
     matter.  Accordingly, in the event there is any dispute between us which we
     are unable to resolve ourselves, we both agree by entering into this
     Agreement that the exclusive remedy for determining any such dispute,
     regardless of its nature, will be by arbitration in Los Angeles County,
     California, in accordance with the then most applicable rules of the
     American Arbitration Association.  In the event the parties are unable to
     agree upon an arbitrator, the parties shall select a single arbitrator from
     a list of seven arbitrators designated by the American Arbitration
     Association; four shall be retired judges of the Superior or Appellate
     Courts resident in Los Angeles County who are members of the "independent"
     list of retired judges and three shall be members of the National Academy
     of Arbitrators resident within Los Angeles County, California.  This
     agreement to resolve any disputes arising out of your employment or the
     termination of your employment by binding arbitration shall extend to
     claims against any officers, directors, employees, or agents of PortaCom or
     any of the above and shall apply as well to claims arising out of state and
     federal statutes and local ordinances as well as to claims arising under
     the common law.  In the event of any such arbitration, the prevailing party
     shall be awarded reasonable attorney's fees as part of the arbitration
     award.

5.   General Provisions.
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     a.   This Agreement constitutes the parties' entire agreement with respect
          to your employment, and supersedes all prior agreements and
          representations whether oral or written.

     b.   This Agreement may not be amended except by a writing signed by both
          parties. It may, however, be supplemented by written policies and
          procedures established by PortaCom from time to time which policies
          and procedures, whether set forth in an employee handbook or otherwise
          are generally applicable to PortaCom's other
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Douglas C. MacLellan
January 1, 1997                                                      Page 3 of 3


          executive employees. In the event of a conflict between this Agreement
          and any PortaCom policy or procedure, the provisions of this Agreement
          shall prevail.

     c.   This Agreement is valid until December 31, 1997.

     d.   This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and
          governed by the laws of the State of California.

     e.   The Agreement is subject to the approval of the Vancouver Stock
          Exchange.

Mr. MacLellan, if you agree with and accept the terms of employment as stated
herein, please sign and date below and return this Agreement to the Compensation
Committee. We are confident your employment with PortaCom will continue to prove
mutually beneficial.

Very truly yours,
PORTACOM WIRELESS, INC.


Compensation Committee:


__________________________                ___________________________
Keith A.J. Hay                            Stephen M. Leahy


__________________________
Stephen O. Stephens

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                             I concur with the provisions of  this Agreement:


                             _________________________________________
                              Douglas C. MacLellan

                              Dated:_____________________

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