Ministers Promote Canadian Tourism and Trade Opportunities to G8/G20 Media

TORONTO, Ontario, May 19, 2010 — The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, and the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), today showcased Toronto’s historic Distillery District and the future site of the G8/G20 Media Centre to journalists from the G20 countries as part of an orientation session for international media.

The Ministers highlighted the fact that Canada is a great country in which to invest or travel, for either work or pleasure.

“From the stability of our financial system to our low taxes, commitment to innovation and position as a free-trade leader, Canada is a great place to do business,” said Minister Van Loan. “Today’s event provided a great opportunity to underscore Canada’s many business advantages directly to influential foreign journalists, in advance of the upcoming G8 and G20 summits.”

“The promotion effort for the G8 and G20 will highlight both of Toronto’s main convention centres and the Deerhurst Resort complex in Muskoka, generating worldwide publicity and branding Canada as a world-class tourism and convention destination,” said Minister of State Moore. “At our highly successful 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, we showed the world the best that Canada has to offer. We are pleased to welcome international visitors again in June for the G8 and G20 summits.”

Media representatives from Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey began the media tour in Niagara on Sunday. They visited the historic Niagara winery region and ended the weekend with a tour of the Muskoka region, which will host the G8 summit. They then moved on to Ottawa on Monday before arriving in Toronto.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Monika Bujalska
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Peter Van Loan
Minister of International Trade
613-992-9304

Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874

Catherine Godbout
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
613-943-7023

Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502

Catherine Gagnaire
Communications Director
Summits Management Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874