Media Lock-Up for Budget 2019

Minister of Finance Bill Morneau will table Budget 2019 in the House of Commons on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at approximately 4:00 p.m.

The media lock-up will start at 9:30 a.m. and will be held at 111 Sussex Drive (John G. Diefenbaker Building) in Ottawa (please use Sussex Drive entrance only).

The lock-up will end when the designated Department of Finance Canada official at 111 Sussex Drive announces that the embargo is lifted, at approximately 4:00 p.m.

For media outlets setting up equipment and lines prior to the start of the lock-up at 9:30 a.m., please note that a security sweep of 111 Sussex Drive will begin at 8:00 a.m., at which time everyone will be required to leave the hall for the duration of the security sweep.

Entry to the media lock-up is restricted to journalists accredited through the Parliamentary Press Gallery. To register and for more information on accreditation, contact Pierre Cuguen, Manager, Press Gallery Secretariat at pierre.cuguen@parl.gc.ca.

Embargo Procedures

Budget 2019 material, including USB keys, will be made available when the lock-up starts at 9:30 a.m., and will remain under embargo until released by the designated official upon tabling of the Budget in the House of Commons at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Once the lock-up has commenced, no one will be allowed to leave the secured area or contact anyone outside of the lock-up until the embargo is lifted.

When entering the lock-up, journalists, crew members, media guests, etc. will be required to sign an undertaking to respect the release arrangements and not to remove, release or communicate documents, materials, information, or other records of any nature whatsoever provided in the lock-up, to anyone in any manner (including through the use of wireless communication devices such as wireless microphones, wireless modems and air cards, wireless keyboards and printers, cellular phones, and smartphones) until the embargo is lifted.

The Department of Finance Canada, with the agreement of the Press Gallery Executive, reserves the right to refuse access to any future Department of Finance Canada embargoed releases to any person and/or their organization that breaches the terms of the undertaking.

The undertaking stipulates that wireless devices are not allowed in the lock-up and must be turned in at the entrance to the secured reading area. Department of Finance Canada officials will hold them until the embargo is lifted. See details below.

DEVICES ALLOWED IN THE MEDIA LOCK-UP

Laptops, notebooks, tablets and other portable computers. Media will be responsible for switching these devices to "airplane mode" with all radio (receiving or transmitting) and internal built-in wireless functionalities disabled. Those who fail to do so will be requested to turn in their computer/tablet until the embargo is lifted.

DEVICES NOT ALLOWED IN THE MEDIA LOCK-UP

Wireless communication devices including cellular phones, smartphones, wireless keyboards and printers, two-way radios, and/or any other removable wireless communication devices including modems, air cards, mobile hotspots, and wireless microphones.

Space Allocation and Equipment Set-Up

Space at 111 Sussex Drive will be allocated in advance on a first-come, first-served basis by the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

Media organizations wishing to make arrangements for telephone and data lines, as well as other technical applications, should contact Bell Canada at tradeshow@bell.ca or Rogers Communications at rogersbusinesscable@rci.rogers.com no later than Friday, March 8, 2019.

Media required to file urgently upon embargo release are advised to purchase high-speed Internet service. Please note that only non-wireless modems will be supplied. Equipment should be delivered directly to media to provide to on-site technicians.

Set-up of equipment and lines will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 18, and will start again at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19.

All equipment installations and testing must be completed by 8:00 a.m. on Budget Day, Tuesday, March 19, at which time the briefing area will be cleared for a security sweep.

Once the embargo is lifted, please note that space at 111 Sussex Drive will continue to be available until 8:00 p.m., at which time any remaining media organizations present will need to vacate the premises.

Buses

Prior to the tabling of Budget 2019, special security buses will be available to transport journalists who must be at their working positions when the speech begins in the House of Commons. These journalists will be transported to the designated entrance door of the West Block.

Authorizations to board these special buses will be issued and regulated by the Press Gallery. Passengers will be required to sign a second undertaking in advance.

Journalists will be authorized to leave the buses when signaled by the designated Department of Finance Canada official, but the embargo will remain in force until it is lifted by the designated Department of Finance Canada official at 111 Sussex Drive. This means that no budget information may be communicated by any means whatsoever until the embargo is lifted.

Meals and Refreshments

Members of the media will be able to purchase food and refreshments from a special canteen located in the secured reading area (cash payment only). No outside food delivery will be allowed.

Coffee and water will be made available free of charge in the secured area.

Government of Canada Officials

Starting at 10:30 a.m., Government of Canada officials, including ministerial staff, will be on hand to provide information on a deep background, not-for-attribution basis only. Audio recording or video recording with audio of these briefings for the purpose of broadcast is strictly prohibited.

Post-Tabling

Representatives of stakeholder groups will be available to the media following the tabling of Budget 2019 at approximately 4:00 p.m. Further instructions will be provided during the media lock-up.

Requests for Interviews with the Minister

Requests for interviews should be directed to Pierre-Olivier Herbert, Acting Director of Communications for the Minister of Finance (contact information below).