MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2001 — Canadian National's Diamond Jubilee radio broadcast of July 1, 1927 the first nation-wide radio broadcast in Canada has been selected as one of 12 Masterworks of "Canadian classics" from the archives of Canadian film, radio, television and sound recordings.

CN transmitted the broadcast of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations from Ottawa to the nation and the world to mark Canada's 60th birthday. The Diamond Jubilee program set new records in radio broadcasting it was the greatest distance covered by a radio broadcast and had the largest audience to date. At the time, newspapers described it as a "marvel of modern
science."

The AV Preservation Trust of Canada and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honorable Sheila Copps, announced the "Masterworks" 2001 selections today on Parliament Hill at a ceremony marking Canada's Heritage Day.

CN is credited with the creation of Canada's first radio network. It launched its broadcast service on July 23, 1923, as a new way of attracting passengers, with special rail cars equipped with receivers and headsets for passengers. Ten years later, CN's radio network was sold to the federal government, later to become the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The AV Preservation Trust of Canada jury said the CN Diamond Jubilee broadcast is an important audio-visual artifact worth preservation because of its importance to Canadian culture and heritage. Sandra Macdonald, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson, National Film Board of Canada, said: "The pioneering work of CN in establishing the most ambitious radio network ever created up to that point, in honour of Canada's Diamond Jubilee, was a landmark in communications history and deserves this recognition."

Paul M. Tellier, CN's president and chief executive officer, said: "We are very proud that CN's historic Diamond Jubilee radio broadcast is being honored by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the AV Preservation Trust of Canada. This broadcast is a national treasure that is an important part of our country's history."

Tellier said CN is proud of its significant role in the preservation of Canadian history and heritage. Last year CN donated its extensive historic photo collection to the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The CN Images of Canada photo collection chronicles 150 years of Canadian history as captured by generations of CN photographers. CN donated the more than
one million photographic images because the company wanted to ensure they were preserved and made accessible to all Canadians through a virtual photo gallery on the museum's web site at www.science-tech.nmstc.ca. Photos from the Diamond Jubilee are part of the CN Images of Canada collection.

Canadian National Railway Company spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, St. Louis, Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.