March 10, 2000
Defence, Art Eggleton, today joined a number of Canadian companies
with business interests in Venezuela to announce an aid mission to
that country. This humanitarian relief mission was coordinated
with the Department of National Defence in response to the
overwhelming and ongoing hardship faced by hundreds of thousands
of displaced people in regions of Venezuela ravaged by torrential
rains and mudslides in December. Companies involved in the relief
effort include Enbridge Inc., Macleod Dixon, McCarthy Tetrault,
Colt Engineering Corp., Fluor Daniel Canada, Inc., Tartan
Engineering Ltd., and TD Securities.
The HMCS St. John's (sister ship of HMCS Calgary) set sail early
this morning from Halifax with $50,000 of relief non-perishable
food supplies and personal care products purchased by the
companies. Twenty- seven pallets of relief goods were loaded on
the vessel. Many companies, including the companies participating
in this venture, contributed cash to emergency efforts in the
first several days of the natural disaster, however the ongoing
news of hardships has prompted this renewed effort to provide
further assistance. The St. John's is scheduled to arrive in
Puerto la Cruz on March 20.
Authorities say 10,000 to 30,000 people were killed in several
days of rain that began Dec. 15, 1999, making the Venezuela
tragedy Latin America's worst natural disaster of the 20th
Century. About 150,000 people lost their homes and half the
agricultural infrastructure was destroyed.
"This was a terrible tragedy that continues to affect displaced
residents of Varga, just 50 kms. north of Caracas," said Brian F.
MacNeill, President & Chief Executive Officer, Enbridge Inc. "The
need in Venezuela is on-going and Enbridge is proud to have
coordinated this mission with other like-minded businesses. We
are also very grateful for the outstanding cooperation of the
Department of National Defence in agreeing to carry this
humanitarian cargo on this ship."
"The Canadian business community's commitment and involvement with
Venezuela is much deeper than just commercial relations," added
Paul Drager, Partner, Macleod Dixon. "We hope that this effort,
along with the individual work of our respective staff in Caracas,
supports the Venezuelan people in this time of need."
NOTICE: Special invitation to Calgary news media:
You are invited to a reception relating to this mission with Art
Eggleton, Minister of National Defence; Pat Daniel, President &
Chief Operating Officer, Energy Delivery, Enbridge Inc.; and Rick
Sandahl, President, Enbridge International Inc. Friday, March 10
beginning at 1:45 p.m. at the offices of Enbridge Inc., 29th
floor, 421 - 7th Avenue, S.W., Calgary, Alberta. These three
individuals will be available beginning at 2 p.m. to discuss the
relief mission and will be available for questions and answers,
and for interviews. Representatives from other participating
companies have also been invited to attend. Light refreshments
will be served.
Photographs of the relief supplies being loaded on the HMCS St.
John's will be available, beginning today, at the Enbridge web
site, at www.enbridge.com.