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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">December 16, 2004 <i>(6:00 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 151</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">EDC AND CCC WIN AUDITOR GENERAL'S AWARDS<br>
AGAIN THIS YEAR</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">International Trade Minister Jim Peterson today congratulated Export Development
Canada (EDC) and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) on winning 2004
Auditor General's Awards for Excellence in Annual Reporting by Crown Corporations,
the third year in a row for EDC and the second year in a row for the CCC. EDC won for
the seventh time in eleven years in the larger Crown corporations category, while the
CCC won for the second time in the smaller Crown corporations category.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"These 2004 Awards of Excellence for EDC and the CCC represent outstanding
achievements in good governance among our federal Crown corporations," said
Minister Peterson. "To have won in consecutive years is a demonstration of their
sustained commitment to excellence in reporting and transparency, and makes them
continued success stories for all of the federal public service."</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Auditor General's Award was launched in 1994 to recognize and reward exemplary
achievement in annual reporting among Crown corporations, as well as to promote
better performance reporting within this community. Crown corporations account for a
significant portion of government activity and play a key role in implementing public
policy.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">EDC is a Canadian financial institution devoted exclusively to providing trade finance
services to support Canadian exporters and investors in some 200 markets, 130 of
which are in developing economies.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The CCC is an export contracting agency that brings buyers and Canadian exporters
together. Since its inception in 1946, the CCC has provided assistance to thousands of
companies from across Canada, helping them negotiate more than $30 billion in
contracts with foreign governments and private-sector buyers.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Both EDC and the CCC report to Parliament through the Minister of International
Trade.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">More information is available on the Web site of the Auditor General of Canada:
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071207020150/http://www.oag-bvg.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.oag-bvg.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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<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>
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<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">Jacqueline LaRocque<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade<br>
(613) 992-7332</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">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071207020150/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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