36 athletes receive $75,000 under the 12th edition of The National Bank Bursaries Program

Réal Raymond, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank, and Lynn Jeanniot, Vice-President – Marketing and Public Affairs, today revealed the names of the 36 athletes who will share $75,000 under The National Bank Bursaries Program.

“National Bank is proud to support you in your quest for excellence and the pursuit of your dreams. Continue to trust in yourself and in your talents, to be disciplined, tenacious and persevering, and to work relentlessly even in the most difficult moments. That is what allows you to rank among the best,” noted Mr. Raymond.

The bursaries were awarded in the presence of Mr. Claude Chagnon, President of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, and Mr. Jean-Marc Fournier, Ministre des Affaires municipales, du Sport et du Loisir.  After highlighting the financial involvement of the Quebec government with the Foundation, Mr. Fournier pointed out that The National Bank Bursaries Program, now in its 12th year, is a shining example of how the private sector supports Quebec athletes.  He also underscored the valuable role played by the Foundation in promoting its athletes, and wished the best of luck to the recipients who will be participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens this summer.

Among the recipients, 16 have already qualified or are trying to qualify for the 2004 Summer Games.  The other 20 recipients are, for the most part, Quebec's aspiring young athletes.  One of the objectives of The National Bank Bursaries Program is to support promising athletes who are just starting out and therefore do not have access to the financial support needed to help them progress on the international stage.

In the past six years, National Bank has invested $600,000 in the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, of which half is used to finance The National Bank Bursaries Program.  This Program was set up to encourage athletes to persevere in their determination, their intensive work and their dedication to their discipline.  To date, $450,000 has been awarded to more than 300 athletes.

The National Bank Bursaries Program has three categories: Excellence, Elite and Hopefuls.  The Program is open to all athletes who participate in an Olympic or Paralympic discipline as identified by a sports federation.  The athletes must be eligible to represent Canada at the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games or the World Championships and must prove that they need financial support.  Recipients must be enrolled in a post-career project, which usually takes the form of secondary, college-level or university studies.

2004 National Bank Bursaries Program Recipients

About National Bank

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group which provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. The National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. The National Bank has assets of close to $81 billion and, together with its subsidiaries, employs close to 17,000 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (NA:TSX). For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.nbc.ca.

About the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence

The Foundation's mission is to promote athletic and academic excellence among Quebec's best amateur athletes. They will become role models of excellence, discipline and perseverance for young people and will form the "Quebec" elite of tomorrow.

Sources:

Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence
Pierre Dubé
Executive Director
Telephone: (514) 252-3171
Fax: (514) 394-6258

National Bank of Canada
Denis Dubé
Director, Public Relations
Telephone: (514) 394-8644
Fax: (514) 254-3292