TFUS01 - CANADA: STATUS OF ASSISTANCE 4 --

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002701 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR R, WHA/CAN; WHA/EPSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT US CA SUBJECT: TFUS01 - CANADA: STATUS OF ASSISTANCE 4 -- SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 REF: A. OTTAWA 2689 ¶B. OTTAWA 2638 ¶C. STATE 162270 Public contact number for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) -------------- -------------- ¶1. The contact number for Canadians wishing to contribute to Katrina relief is 1-800-O CANADA (1-800-622-6232). Information on how to help is also available on the web sites of Foreign Affairs Canada, International Trade Canada (for companies wishing to sell to the US market) and the Canadian Red Cross and other NGOs. Other contact information for PSEPC is for USG use only, not for public distribution. Caution on food aid -------------- ¶2. FAS raised a concern about the possibility that food included in emergency relief shipments from Canada would not be in compliance with our import regulations. Post raised the issue with Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, which was not aware of food aid, but would note that potential shipments should be cleared with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. FAS noted that even MREs could be a problem if they contain inadmissable Canadian beef products. More spaces for students -------------- ¶3. According to press reports, the Premier of Prince Edward Island announce that there will be spaces at the provincially operated university and college to students at three New Orleans universities. In Nova Scotia, Acadia University (ref A) and three Halifax universities - Saint Mary's, Mount Saint Vincent and Dalhousie - are offering to help students affected by the hurricane. Financial and housing assistance varies according to the school. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS