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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">September 9, 2004 <i>(3:30 p.m. EDT)</i> No. 101</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">CANADA ENCOURAGES ALGERIA TO JOIN LA FRANCOPHONIE</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Jacques Saada, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the
Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie, arrived in Algiers
yesterday to encourage Algeria to join the International Organization of
La Francophonie. This visit is part of a tour in preparation for the upcoming Summit of
La Francophonie to be held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in November.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Following his meeting with Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem,
Minister Saada said, “Algeria’s membership, which Canada would very much like to
see, would strengthen La Francophonie as an increasingly modern organization with
growing solidarity and openness to the world.” </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Earlier this week, Minister Saada had several meetings in Paris, including with
Abdou Diouf, Secretary-General of La Francophonie, and Xavier Darcos, French
Minister Delegate for Cooperation, Development and La Francophonie.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">On September 10, Mr. Saada will arrive in Niamey, Niger, where he will speak with
government officials organizing the Vth Games of La Francophonie, to be held in
December 2005. He will be in Ouagadougou on September 11 to meet with
Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso, and the organizers of the Xth Summit of
La Francophonie.</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">
<br>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">Jean-François del Torchio</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Office of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions
of Quebec and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister responsible for La Francophonie<br>
(613) 371-8174</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071207012248/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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