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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">March 24, 2005 <i>(10:30 a.m. EST)</i></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">No. 49</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">MINISTER PETERSON ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBERS OF CANADA’S</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">SOFTWOOD LUMBER NEGOTIATION TEAM</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">International Trade Minister Jim Peterson today announced that Paul M. Tellier and
Gordon Ritchie have joined Canada’s softwood lumber negotiating team as senior
advisers to the Minister.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Mr. Tellier and Mr. Ritchie bring a wealth of experience to what is already a very strong
negotiation team,” said Minister Peterson. “I am confident that they will serve
Canadians well as we continue in our efforts to find an acceptable solution to the
softwood lumber dispute.”</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Minister reiterated that resolving the dispute remains a high priority, and that the
Government is committed to finding a solution that is in the best interest of all
Canadians.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Discussions with the United States took place in Toronto yesterday, and will continue
today. The current Team Canada approach is continuing, with senior provincial and
industry participation in Toronto. Early indications are that both sides are engaging in a
frank and constructive dialogue, including discussion of the appropriate timing of the
next steps.</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Biographies of Mr. Tellier and Mr. Ritchie are attached.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Jacqueline LaRocque<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade<br>
(613) 992-7332</span></span></p>
<br>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221013739/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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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Paul M. Tellier</span> has had a distinguished career in the public service, having served as
Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet of the Government of Canada
from 1985 to 1992. He also held several senior government positions, including Deputy
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in 1979 and Deputy Minister of
Energy, Mines and Resources in 1982.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">In the private sector, Mr. Tellier served as President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Bombardier Inc. from 2003 to 2004. Between 1992 and 2003, he held a
variety of positions at the Canadian National Railway Company, including President,
Chief Executive Officer and a director.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">He is a director of Alcan Aluminum Ltd., BCE Inc./Bell Canada, and McCain Foods Ltd.,
as well as Co-Chairman of the Canada-Japan Business Council and a former Chairman
of the Conference Board of Canada.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Mr. Tellier is a graduate of the universities of Ottawa and Oxford, England, and was
admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1963. He was appointed Companion of the Order of
Canada in 1993.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Gordon Ritchie</span> has also had a distinguished career in the public service. As
Ambassador for trade negotiations from 1984 to 1988, he was one of the principal
architects of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. This capped off 22 years in the
public service in trade, and industrial and economic development. Other senior posts
included Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion
and Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of State for Economic Development.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">In the private sector, Mr. Ritchie has been serving as Chairman of Hill & Knowlton
Canada since 1999. He also founded Strategico Inc. in 1998, and serves as director on
a number of major Canadian corporations, including Laurentian Bank of Canada and
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. </span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Mr. Ritchie was trained in economics and administration at Carleton University, l'École
nationale d’administration publique and the Harvard Business School.</span></span></span></p>
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