(No. 41 - January 31, 2011 - 4:45 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement informing Canadian citizens wishing to take advantage of Government of Canada arrangements to leave Egypt that two additional phone numbers are now available:
"The Government of Canada has chartered a flight, which arrived in Cairo today, to transport Canadian citizens leaving Egypt. Another flight will arrive tomorrow. These flights will take passengers to locations in Europe, such as London, Paris and Frankfurt. Canadian citizens are required to make their own onward travel plans from these locations.
"Canadian citizens in Egypt wishing to be evacuated should contact the Canadian embassy in Cairo at 20 (2) 2791-8700 or make a collect call to the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Emergency Operations Centre at 613-996-8885 or the new number, 613-943-1055.
"Friends and relatives in Canada seeking information on Canadian citizens believed to be in Egypt should contact the Operations Centre by calling, toll-free, 1-800-606-5499 or the new number 1-800-387-3124.
"These two phone numbers have been added, and additional staff deployed, to respond to increasing call volume. As of this morning, the Emergency Operations Centre had received over 4,900 calls on the situation in Egypt.
For up-to-date information, please visit Canada provides consular assistance to Canadians who wish to leave Egypt.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Lynn Meahan
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
613-995-1851
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
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