February 22, 2008
Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty will table the 2008 budget in the
House of Commons on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at approximately 4:00 p.m.
A media lockup will be held at the Government Conference Centre, 2
Rideau Street 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 Government
Conference 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 lockup. 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 Government Conference Centre will be allocated on a
first-come, first-served basis.
Set-up of equipment and lines will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25, and will start again at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday,
February 26.
All equipment installations and testing must be completed by 8:00 a.m.
on budget day, Tuesday, February 26, 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
Prior to the tabling of the budget, special security buses will be
available to transport, to the tunnel entrance door of the Centre Block
and to the corner of Sparks and O'Connor Streets, only those journalists
who must be at their working positions on Parliament Hill or in their
broadcast studios 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 buses 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.
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
