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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">August 29, 2006 <i>(9:45 a.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 95</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 MACKAY WARNS CANADIAN TRAVELLERS DURING
HURRICANE SEASON</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, today urged Canadians to review their travel plans and
take any necessary precautions when visiting regions forecasted to be affected by
hurricanes.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“As the effects of Ernesto continue to be felt, I would like to take this opportunity to
remind Canadians of the importance of taking charge of their own safety when travelling
abroad and preparing accordingly using up-to-date information, such as that found at
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221041051/http://www.voyage.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.voyage.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">,” said Minister MacKay. “Our goal is to encourage safe and
hassle-free travel abroad by urging Canadians to take a precautionary approach.”</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Canadians who choose to travel to hurricane-prone regions during the annual
June-November tropical storm season are advised to:</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"> </p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Confirm travel arrangements prior to departure and ensure that travel insurance
allows for trip cancellation/interruption in the event of a hurricane.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Check the Consular Affairs website’s country-specific “Travel Reports” and
“Current Issues” to obtain up-to-date information and advice about destinations.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Ensure that copies of travel documents—including the name of tour operators,
flight details, hotel name and location, room number and telephone numbers,
cruise ship details and itineraries—are left with family or friends in Canada. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Consider registering with the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
(DFAIT) registration service at </span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221041051/http://www.voyage.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.voyage.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">. Registration can be
done online or by calling the responsible Canadian embassy, high commission or
consulate abroad to request a registration form. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Monitor local news broadcasts and weather reports carefully; follow the advice,
including departure orders, of local authorities and/or tour operators; and know
how to contact the nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Carry details on how to contact DFAIT’s Emergency Operations Centre at
1-800-267-6788 (from the United States or Canada) or 613-996-8885, which
operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accepts emergency collect
calls from Canadians requiring assistance abroad.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Check weather forecasts for the region from the National Hurricane Center in the
United States. Environment Canada’s Canadian Hurricane Centre also provides
recommendations on hurricane preparedness.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">•<span>         </span>Contact their close friends and relatives to let them know of their well-being (in
case of a major storm or incident).</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">“I’d also like to take this occasion to congratulate the travel industry for assisting the
department by encouraging safe travel among Canadians and for alerting them to the
risks of travelling during the current hurricane season,” added the Minister.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Many companies in the Canadian travel industry offer some flexibility if weather
conditions are adverse before and during travel. In the event of a hurricane, some tour
operators and airlines will make an assessment on a case-by-case basis of the
category and severity of the storm and, if warranted, allow affected travellers to opt to
travel as planned or to change travel dates and/or destinations.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Tropical depressions and storms that may develop into hurricanes occur in the North
Atlantic and Northeast Pacific oceans. The east and Gulf coasts of the United States,
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are the most threatened areas. </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">During last year’s hurricane season, catastrophic storms caused damage to
infrastructure and cut off transportation, communication and emergency services,
including medical care, as well as access to water and food supplies. In past storms,
thousands of travellers have been stranded for days as a result of airport closures and
damage to roads and runways. Travellers have been forced to evacuate hotels and
move to temporary emergency shelters established by local authorities. In such
conditions, it is difficult for DFAIT consular officials to provide a full range of assistance.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Anyone in Canada seeking information about Canadian relatives or friends in the
affected areas should contact DFAIT at 1-800-387-3124. <span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">As well, please visit
</span></span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221041051/http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/caw/da_disaster_help-en.aspx"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/caw/da_disaster_help-en.aspx</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"> to find out how you
can help.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">- 30 -</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada<br>
613-995-1874<br>
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221041051/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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