March 12, 2007
Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty will table the 2007 budget in the House of Commons on Monday, March 19, 2007, at approximately 4:00 p.m.
A media lockup will be held at the Ottawa Congress Centre, on Colonel By Drive in Ottawa, from 9:30 a.m. until the Minister presents his budget in the House of Commons at approximately 4:00 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 or guillt@parl.gc.ca.
Embargo Procedures
Please Note
Budget material will be made available when the
media lockup commences at 9:30 a.m., following a security sweep of
the Ottawa Congress Centre beginning at 8:00 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 4:00 p.m.
Once the lockup has commenced, no one will be allowed to leave the room or contact their office until the embargo is lifted.
Journalists will be required to sign an undertaking to respect the release arrangements and not to remove, release or communicate 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, wireless modems and air cards, cellular phones and personal digital assistants) until they are released from embargo.
Wireless communication devices such as cellular phones, BlackBerries, personal digital assistants, two-way radios and/or any other removable wireless communication devices including modems, air cards and wireless microphones will not be allowed in the lockup area.
The undertaking stipulates that they must be turned in at the entrance to the briefing. Department of Finance officials will hold them until the embargo is lifted.
Media will be responsible for disabling any internal built-in wireless devices on their laptop, notebook and other portable computers. Those who fail to do so may be requested to turn in their computer.
The Department of Finance, with the agreement of the Press Gallery Executive, reserves the right to refuse access to any future Department of Finance embargoed releases to anyone and/or their organization breaching the terms of the undertaking.
Budget Documents
A single copy of the budget documents will be provided free of charge in the lockup only to those who need them (ie. 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 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 Ottawa Congress Centre will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Set-up of equipment and lines will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, and will start again at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, March 19.
All equipment installations and testing must be completed by 8:00 a.m. on budget day, Monday, March 19, at which time the briefing 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 or Rogers Communications at 1-800-934-3225.
Buses to Parliament Hill
Prior to the tabling of the budget, special security buses will be available to transport, to the tunnel entrance 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. 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 lunch from a special canteen located in the lockup area. No outside food delivery is permitted.
Department of Finance Officials
Department of Finance and other government officials will be on hand at the media lockup to provide technical information on a background, not for attribution basis only. Audio recording, or video recording with audio, of these briefings for the purpose of broadcast is strictly prohibited.
Minister's media availability
Minister Flaherty will hold a brief media availability at
2:00 p.m. in the media lockup at the Ottawa Congress Centre.
Requests for Interviews With the Minister
Requests for interviews should be directed to Chisholm Pothier, Press Secretary to the Minister of Finance, at 613-996-7861.
___________________ Information:
David Gamble Media Relations Department of Finance 613-996-8080
