Press Releases

Online balloting for final player on each All-Star Team continues through July 9

NEW YORK, July 5 /PRNewswire/ -- American and National League All-Star Team managers Joe Maddon and Charlie Manuel, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, have announced the candidates for the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote to be held exclusively on MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, and the individual Club Web sites.

Fans began casting votes for the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote on MLB.com and the Club sites immediately following today's Major League Baseball All-Star Selection Show presented by Pepsi on TBS and can continue until balloting concludes at 4 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, July 9. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will be announced on MLB.com shortly thereafter. Last year's program saw a record 47.8 million votes.

The five candidates for the final roster spot on the 2009 American League All-Star Team are: Chone Figgins of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Brandon Inge of the Detroit Tigers; Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers; Adam Lind of the Toronto Blue Jays; and Carlos Pena of the Tampa Bay Rays.

On the National League side, the five players on the ballot for the final roster spot are: Cristian Guzman of the Washington Nationals; Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers; Mark Reynolds of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Pablo Sandoval of the San Francisco Giants; and Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Mobile voting is available exclusively on Sprint capable mobile phones and fans can send the word "Vote" to 1122 to receive the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote ballot. Standard text rates apply. In Canada, fans should text the word "Vote" to 88555.

The All-Star Sprint Game Final Vote program has seen nearly 140 million votes cast since its inception in 2002, including last year's record-setting total when fans chose Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays and Corey Hart of the Milwaukee Brewers. Previous winners of the All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote are: Hideki Okajima (AL, 2007); Chris Young (NL, 2007); A.J. Pierzynski (AL, 2006); Nomar Garciaparra (NL, 2006); Scott Podsednik (AL, 2005); Roy Oswalt (NL, 2005); Hideki Matsui (AL, 2004); Bobby Abreu (NL, 2004); Jason Varitek (AL, 2003); Geoff Jenkins (NL, 2003); Johnny Damon (AL, 2002); and Andruw Jones (NL, 2002).

Last week, MLB.com announced record totals of 223.5 million votes and 17.8 million ballots for the 16 starting position players via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot, which concluded on July 2.

The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT)/7:00 p.m. (CDT).

SOURCE MLB.com

SAINT NICOLAS, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - July 5, 2009) - Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for Lotbiniere-Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, together with Mr. Claude Robert, Chief Executive Officer, Groupe Robert, invite the media to attend an important announcement concerning the freight transportation sector.

Date:      Monday, July 6, 2009

Time:      10:00 a.m.

Place:     Groupe Robert Headquarters
           1050 Chemin des Oliviers
           Saint Nicolas, Quebec


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        Transport Canada
        Media Relations, Ottawa
        613-993-0055

Source: TRANSPORT CANADA

OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 07/05/09 -- The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, issued the following statement today on the death of a Canadian Soldier.

"I wish to express my heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud.

Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud was a valiant and courageous Canadian soldier who died in service to his country and the world community after being wounded in Afghanistan during a patrol June 23.

His sacrifice will never be forgotten and increases Canada's resolve to help the Afghan people in a UN-sanctioned, NATO-led mission.

Thanks to Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, progress and change is taking place in Afghanistan."

Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud is from the 2e Batallion, Royal 22e Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City.

Contacts:
Information: 1-866-377-0811/613-996-2353
After hours: 613-792-2973
www.forces.gc.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 5, 2009) - The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, issued the following statement today on the death of a Canadian Soldier.

"I wish to express my heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud.

Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud was a valiant and courageous Canadian soldier who died in service to his country and the world community after being wounded in Afghanistan during a patrol June 23.

His sacrifice will never be forgotten and increases Canada's resolve to help the Afghan people in a UN-sanctioned, NATO-led mission.

Thanks to Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, progress and change is taking place in Afghanistan."

Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud is from the 2e Batallion, Royal 22e Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        Information: 1-866-377-0811/613-996-2353
        After hours: 613-792-2973
        www.forces.gc.ca

Source: Department of National Defence

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 5, 2009) - My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I learned with renewed sadness of the death of Master Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, who passed away following injuries incurred in Afghanistan.

Master Corporal Michaud, of the 2nd Batallion, Royal 22e Regiment, based in Valcartier (Que.), was transferred to a hospital in the City of Quebec on June 28, after having sustained serious injuries in the explosion of an improvised explosive device, hidden by Talibans insurgents, while conducting foot patrol on June 23.

Attacks in Afghanistan are constant and merciless. Our patrolling soldiers and those assigned to demining the country are acutely aware of this and yet go meet danger face to face every day. Their courage knows no limit; they are totally focused on finding and neutralizing as many of the deadly devices as possible, on insuring the security of the area, on protecting civilians as much as is humanly possible. That is their first and foremost mission.

Master Corporal Michaud is one of the courageous, and without a doubt, generous soldier whose sense of duty and ability to keep going despite all adversity command our admiration for the women and men serving in the Canadian Forces. We imagine today the deep sadness of his parents, his family, loved ones and friends who greeted him upon his arrival, surrounding him with affection, sustaining day after day their collective hope that he would recover from his injuries. We send them our most sincere condolences.

Our thoughts also go to his peers who have lost another one of their comrades-in-arms.

Michaelle Jean


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        Rideau Hall Press Office
        Annabelle Cloutier
        613-993-2569
        www.gg,ca
        www.citizenvoices.gg.ca

Source: Governor General of Canada