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<title>DUHAMEL-VISIT TO PARIS</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial"><strong>January 9, 2002 No. 3</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media representatives are advised that Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Western Economic
Diversification) (Francophonie) Ronald J. Duhamel will be in Paris on January 10 and 11, 2002, to head the
Canadian delegation to the 16th Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The Conference will focus primarily on transitional provisions to enable La Francophonie institutions and
operating agencies to continue functioning normally until the Beirut Summit, which has been postponed until
the fall of 2002.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canada plans to confirm the levels of its contributions to La Francophonie, particularly the contributions
earmarked for the operating agencies, and to announce the parameters of its new programming for 2002 and
2003.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For more information on Canada in La Francophonie, please visit the Web site</font></p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221125022/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/foreignp/francophonie/menu-e.htm"><font face="Arial">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/foreignp/francophonie/menu-e.htm</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For more information, please contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221125022/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/"><font face="Arial">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></font></p>
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