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<title>PARADIS ANNOUNCES CONTRIBUTION TO RONALD J. DUHAMEL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND</title>
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<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>March 19, 2003 <em>(1:00 p.m. EST)</em> No. 28</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>PARADIS ANNOUNCES CONTRIBUTION TO RONALD J. DUHAMEL MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP FUND</strong></font></p>
<p>Denis Paradis, Secretary of State for Latin America, Africa and La Francophonie, today announced a $25,000 contribution
by the Government of Canada to the Ronald J. Duhamel Scholarship Fund.</p>
<p>The announcement was made during a ceremony to launch the Fund at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, attended
by a number of dignitaries, including Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the International Organization of
La Francophonie. Mr. Boutros-Ghali is currently on a cross-Canada visit to mark the Journée Internationale de la
Francophonie.</p>
<p>"I am pleased that the Canadian government is honouring the memory of my predecessor in the international Francophonie
by contributing to this project," said Mr. Paradis. "This fund will support the efforts of the Franco-Manitoban community to
increase its profile in Canada and elsewhere in the world."</p>
<p>Before entering federal politics, Mr. Duhamel was a professor at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface and
Manitoba's Deputy Minister of Education. In Ottawa, his postings included that of Secretary of State for la Francophonie
from August 1999 until his appointment to the Senate in January 2002.</p>
<p>Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2003 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal
framework.</p>
<p>- 30 -</p>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
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<p><font face="Arial">Isabelle Jean</font></p>
<p>Office of the Secretary of State (Latin America and
Africa) (Francophonie)</p>
<p>(613) 944-3403</p>
<p>Media Relations Office</p>
<p>Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221183927/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
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