February 11, 2005 Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale will table the 2005 budget in the House of Commons on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at approximately 4:00 p.m. A media lockup will be held at the Ottawa Congress Centre, on Colonel By Drive in Ottawa, from 10:30 a.m. until the Minister presents his budget in the House of Commons at approximately 4 p.m. Entry is restricted to journalists accredited through the Parliamentary Press Gallery. For more information on accreditation, contact Terry Guillon, Chief of the Press Gallery, at (613) 992-4511. Embargo Procedures Budget material will be made available when the media lockup commences at 10:30 a.m., following a security sweep of the Congress Centre to begin at 9:30 a.m. Everyone will be required to leave the hall for the duration of the security sweep. All budget materials will be under embargo until released by the designated Department of Finance official, following tabling of the budget at approximately 4 p.m. All those admitted to the media lockup will be required to sign an undertaking to respect the release arrangements and not to remove, release or communicate budget documents, materials or information, or other records of any nature whatsoever to anyone in any manner (including the use of wireless communication devices such as wireless microphones) until they are released from embargo. Wireless communication devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), two-way radios and/or any other communication devices will not be allowed in the lockup area. The undertaking stipulates that they must be turned in at the entrance to the lockup to Department of Finance officials, who will hold them until the lockup is over. It also stipulates that the Department of Finance, with the agreement of the Press Gallery Executive, reserves the right to refuse access to any future media lockups to anyone and/or their organization breaching the terms of the undertaking. Laptop, notebook and other portable computers with integrated (non-removable) wireless modems or any other kind of wireless transmission capabilities will only be allowed in the lockup on the condition that their transmitting capabilities have been verified as having been disabled. Budget Documents A single copy of the budget documents will be provided free of charge in the lockup only to those who need them (i.e. reporters, producers). In addition, a limited number of CD ROMs containing all budget documents will be available. Organizations wishing to purchase additional printed copies of The Budget Plan must place their order with the Department of Finance Distribution Centre at (613) 943-8665 in advance of the budget. No orders will be accepted on budget day. Space Allocation and Equipment Set-Up Space at the Congress Centre will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, as in the past. Set-up of equipment and lines will start at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 22 and extend to 10 p.m., and will start again on Wednesday, February 23 beginning at 7 a.m. All equipment installations and testing must be completed by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 23, at which time the lockup area will be cleared for a security sweep. Organizations wishing to make arrangements for telephone and data lines as well as other technical applications should contact Bell Canada at 1 800 414-8424. Buses to Parliament Hill Prior to the tabling of the budget, special security buses will be available to transport, to the West Door of the Centre Block, only those journalists who must be at their working positions on Parliament Hill when the speech begins. Authorizations to board these special buses will be issued and regulated by the Press Gallery at the lockup. Passengers will also be required to sign a second undertaking. Journalists will be authorized to leave the bus when signalled by the designated Department of Finance official, but the embargo will remain in force until it is lifted for all journalists. This means that no budget information may be communicated by any means whatsoever until the embargo is lifted. Meals Members of the media may purchase their meal from a special cash canteen located in the lockup area. No outside food delivery is permitted. Department of Finance Officials As in the past, Department of Finance officials will be on hand at the media lockup to respond to questions on a deep background, not for attribution basis only. Requests for interviews with the Minister Requests for interviews should be directed to Pat Breton, Press Secretary to the Minister of Finance, at (613) 996-7861. - 30 - Information: David Gamble Public Affairs and Operation (613) 996-8080
