WINNIPEG, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - The Manitoba Chamber of Commerce has awarded to CanWest Global Communications Corp. the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Award for the Outstanding Contribution to the Community by a Manitoba Business for 2003. Mr. Leonard Asper, President and C.E.O. of CanWest accepted the award at a gala dinner on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 where the Manitoba Business Awards were announced.
The award included the following citation: "The Honourable Peter Liba, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, and The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce are pleased to award the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Award for the Outstanding Contribution to the Community by a successful business to CanWest Global Communications Corp. for an exceptional contribution to the well-being of the communities in which it operates, and to the quality of life in Manitoba."
The award was presented to Mr. Asper by Mr John Pittman, Chairman of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and Mr. Harold Buchwald, Chair of the Jury Panel of 14 business leaders who made the selection.
"It is part of the CanWest mission to give back to the community," said Leonard Asper. "It is gratifying that the business community has recognized that our efforts in building the community are noteworthy. Our founding shareholder and Chairman, Israel Asper, always fostered the view that entrepreneurs and successful businesses should also give back to the community in non-business ways as they created jobs and investment. The company has done this for 25 years and we encourage others to do the same," said Leonard Asper.
The Manitoba Business Awards are awarded annually in a variety of categories, including Entrepreneur of the Year and Outstanding Business.
CanWest Global Communications Corp. (NYSE: CWG; TSX: CGS.S and CGS.A; (www.canwestglobal.com (http://www.canwestglobal.com) ), is an international media company. CanWest, Canada's largest publisher of daily newspapers, owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in newspapers, conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty cable channels, Web sites and radio networks in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Company's program production and distribution division operates in several countries throughout the world.
CanWest Global Communications Corp. is an Imagine-designated "Caring Company" which means that we demonstrate good corporate citizenship through our donations to charitable organisations and our encouragement of employee volunteerism. The CanWest Global Foundation is one of the Founding Partners of Imagine.
/For further information: Geoffrey Elliot, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, CanWest Global Communications Corp., Phone: (204) 956-2025, Fax: (204) 947-9841/
