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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 7, 2005 <i>(11:30 a.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 207</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">MINISTER PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES NEW </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">SPECIAL ADVISOR ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced the appointment of Maria
Minna, Member of Parliament for Beaches-East York and former Minister for
International Cooperation, as his Special Advisor on Women, Peace and Security. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Maria Minna is ideally positioned to act as my Special Advisor on Women, Peace and
Security,” said Minister Pettigrew. “She has a strong commitment to women’s rights,
particularly in the international arena. Her experience as Minister of International
Cooperation, where she championed gender-equality issues as development priorities,
is invaluable to our work on women, peace and security.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ms. Minna was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and was appointed Minister for
International Cooperation in 1999, and served in that capacity until 2002. As Minister for
International Cooperation, Ms. Minna initiated an overhaul of Canada’s international
development assistance priorities. As Canada’s representative, she was appointed
Co-Chair of the Global Coalition of Africa.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">As a member of Parliament, Ms. Minna has been a strong supporter of Canada’s social
safety net, universal health care, the National Child Tax Benefit and programs to
support early childhood development. She is a member of the House of Commons
Standing Committee on Finance. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Women’s rights and gender equality are an integral part of Canada’s foreign and
development policies. Canada remains committed to ensuring that the particular needs
of women, men, and children affected by armed conflict are effectively met and that
their rights are protected. Foreign Affairs Canada is the lead federal government
department on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325
(2000) on women, peace and security. Foreign Affairs Canada plays a lead role
internationally in ensuring the participation of women in all aspects of conflict
prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister Pettigrew’s previous Special Advisor on Women, Peace and Security was
Senator Mobina Jaffer. Prime Minister Paul Martin and Minister Pettigrew thank
Ms. Jaffer, who is currently Canada’s Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan, for her
excellent work.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">James Christoff<br>
Press Secretary<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221020621/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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