- News Release 98-088 -

Reminder Notice to the Media
Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 
September 29 – October 1, 1998

Canada will host the annual meeting of Commonwealth Finance Ministers at the Canadian Government Conference Centre in Ottawa, September 29 – October 1, 1998. Chaired by the Honourable Paul Martin, Minister of Finance for Canada, the meeting will bring together Ministers and delegations from the 54 member countries of the Commonwealth.

Media representatives wishing to cover the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting must be accredited in order to have access to the facilities.

Accreditation is open to all bona fide news organizations. Freelance media representatives must be sponsored by a recognized news organization and attach a letter of assignment to the accreditation form. The attached accreditation form should be completed and sent to the Department of Finance by fax, on or before Tuesday, September 15, 1998.

Media representatives are required to book and pay for their own hotel accommodation and are advised to contact the following hotel where a limited number of hotel rooms have been block-booked, before Tuesday, September 15: Minto Place Suite Hotel, 433 Laurier Ave., 613-782-2350, 1-800-267-3377 (from Canada or USA). 433 Laurier Ave., 613-782-2350, 1-800-267-3377 (from Canada or USA). Please reference the media block booked by the Department of Finance for the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting when speaking to the hotel (ref. no. 473228).

Travel arrangements are the responsibility of each media representative. A shuttle bus service will be available from the Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport which is roughly 20 minutes (15 kilometres) by car to the Government Conference Centre in downtown Ottawa. A shuttle bus service will also be available at scheduled times between the Government Conference Centre and official program events taking place away from the main meeting site. There will also be a scheduled bus service from the Minto Place Suite Hotel and the Conference Centre.

Media from outside of Canada must hold a valid passport and carry proper requirements for entry into Canada. For information on visa and other entry requirements, please contact your nearest Canadian mission. Health certificates are not required for entry into Canada.

All journalists wishing to attend the meeting in Canada should complete the attached Accreditation Form and return it to the Department of Finance by Tuesday, September 15, 1998.

In addition to the official Finance Ministers Meeting, there are a number of other related events taking place just prior at which Minister Martin and other Ministers will be speaking. These include the Halifax Initiative Forum, September 28-29, Parliament Hill, Ottawa (contact: Pamela Foster, tel: 613-241-4611); Commonwealth Business Forum, September 29-30, Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa (contact: Brian Shackelton, tel 613-238-7858 ext. 222 or Stéphane Blais, tel: 44-171-747-6566); North-South Institute Seminar, September 29, Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa (contact: Alice d'Anjou, tel: 613-241-3535).

Additional information on the Commonwealth and the Finance Ministers Meeting is available from the following Internet sites: http://www.fin.gc.ca and http://www.thecommonwealth.org

Please find attached background information regarding the topics to be discussed at the meeting.

Last Name: ____________________________ First Name: ________________________

News Organization: _____________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Contact or Mailing Address (if different from above):

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Telephone: ________________________ 

Mobile/cellular: _________________________

Fax: _________________________ 

E-mail: ______________________________________

Category:

( ) Journalist ( ) Photographer ( ) Camera Operator ( ) Technician

( ) Producer ( ) Other (specify) __________________________________________

Date of Birth: ___________________ Place of Birth:_______________________________

Passport Number: _________________ Country of Issue: ____________________________

Expected date of arrival in Ottawa: _______________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________

Shandwick Canada Inc.
Tel: 403-424-5944
Fax: 403-428-0970
E-mail: hroy@shandwick.ca

- News Release 98-088 -