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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">May 11, 2005 <i>(10:30 a.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 82</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">DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT AND <br>
MONTREAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew and Minister of the Environment
Stéphane Dion today announced the appointment of Jacques Bilodeau as Ambassador
for Climate Change. Ambassador Bilodeau will also act as the personal representative
of Minister Dion at the upcoming Montreal Conference on Climate, which Canada is
hosting from November 28 to December 9, 2005. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ambassador Bilodeau will work closely with Minister Dion on preparations for this
international conference, which will serve as the 11th Conference of the Parties to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It will also be the first
meeting of signatories to the Kyoto Protocol since the protocol came into effect on
February 16, 2005. The conference is expected to attract more than 7,000 people from
over 180 countries.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">As the Minister’s personal representative, Ambassador Bilodeau will consult with
governments worldwide on how the conference can make significant progress in the
global fight against climate change. This will be done in a manner that reflects the
unique circumstances experienced by different countries and the need to promote
sustainable development.</span></span></p>
<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">A biographical note is 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>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<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/20070220184848/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>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">André Lamarre<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of the Environment<br>
(819) 997-1441</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 NOTE</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">Jacques Bilodeau</span> (MA, École nationale d’administration publique, 1973; BA [Political
Science], Laval University, 1967; BA, Laval University, 1964).</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. Bilodeau joined the Department of External Affairs in 1967, and served abroad in
Havana, Cuba; Accra, Ghana; Athens, Greece; Paris, France; and Rome, Italy. He
served as Ambassador to Senegal from 1990 to 1994, with accreditation to
The Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. He served as
Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2000, and
Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg from 2000 to 2004. Mr. Bilodeau returned to
Ottawa in August 2004. He continues to serve as the Prime Minister’s personal
representative for La Francophonie, a position he has held since 2000.</span></span></span></p>
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