New Council of Atlantic Premiers

NOTE TO EDITORS:

All four Atlantic Premiers will meet on May 15, 2000 in Moncton, New Brunswick to launch a new Council of Atlantic Premiers. Premiers will be setting a regional and national agenda for Atlantic Canada. A formal Memorandum of Understanding will be signed establishing the council and committing all four Atlantic Provinces to a strategic cooperation agenda.

The meeting will commence at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 15, at the Delta Beaus�our Hotel, Moncton, New Brunswick. A photo opportunity will be available at 9:00 - 9:10 a.m. in

Shediac C. A news conference will be held in Salon A at 12 noon, at which time the four pemiers will sign the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Council of Atlantic Premiers. A reception for invited guests will follow the news conference.

Simultaneous interpretation services will be provided during the news conference. News releases issued from the meeting will be distributed by each province's communications office following the meeting.

The media working area will be located in the Madawaska Room and will be available at

8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 15.

Media representatives planning to cover the meeting, including journalists, photographers, camera operators, and technicians, are asked to register by submitting their name, affiliation, and contact information to the address below by Friday, May 12. On-site registration will be available.

Media wishing to register should contact:

Kim Thomson, Information Officer
Council of Atlantic Premiers
P. O. Box 2044
Halifax, NS B3J 2Z1
Tel: (902) 424-7590; on May 14-15: (902) 476-0135
Fax: (902) 424-8976
E-mail: kthomson@cmp.ca

For further information regarding the meeting, please contact:

New Brunswick                           Luc Fournier, Communications Director (Acting)
                                                 Tel:(506) 453-2144

Newfoundland and Labrador         Heidi Bonnell, Director of Communications
                                                 Tel: (709) 729-3960

Nova Scotia                                Rob Batherson, Media Relations Officer
                                                 Tel: (902) 424-6601

Prince Edward Island                   Maurice Rogerson, Chief of Staff
                                                  Tel: (902) 368-4402

2000 05 05                                        2:30 p.m.