Herb Dhaliwal to Lead Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation's Emergency Centre Campaign

Surrey, BC - Former federal cabinet minister and well-known BC businessman, Herb Dhaliwal, has been named Honorary Chair of Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation's $15 million Emergency Centre Campaign.

Funds raised during the Foundation's campaign will supplement the $30 mllion that the Provincial Government has earmarked for a new Emergency Centre at Surrey Memorial, which is slated for completion in 2010.

"High quality health care is integral to Surrey's development as a safe, clean and vibrant city. The Foundation's $15 million commitment to this project will mean the difference between an Emergency Centre equipped with the essentials, and a state-of-the art facility equipped with the very best in medical technology,"says Mr. Dhaliwal. He adds, "I look forward to working with the Foundation and the community to realize the plans for a new emergency centre for Surrey."

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts was pleased to hear of Dhaliwals appointment. "I am excited at the involvement of Herb Dhaliwal in the Foundation's campaign. He has great experience and credibility, and I am sure he will be an enormous asset in bringing Surrey's broad and diverse community together in support of this important initiative."

Herb Dhaliwal is a prominent figure in the BC business community and in Canadian politics. His diversified business interests include transportation, maintenance and real estate development, in which he employs more than 500 people across the Lower Mainland, including a significant number who live in Surrey. Mr. Dhaliwal spent 10 years, from 1993 - 2003 as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) representing Vancouver-South and became the first Indo-Canadian federal cabinet minister in 1997 when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien appointed him Minister of Revenue. Currently, Mr. Dhaliwal devotes his time to operating his businesses, spending time with his family and serving his community as a volunteer.

Surrey Memorial Hospital, operated by Fraser Health, is the second largest hospital in British Columbia serving over 600,000 people in an area stretching from Surrey to Delta, from Langley to White Rock. It has the busiest Emergency in the province,providing care to almost 70,000 patients each year, 20,000 of which are children.

Since its inception in 1992, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation has raised more than $45 million to fund urgently-needed medical equipment, innovative programs, training and research. New equipment is purchased with the help of the community through Foundation-raised dollars.

- 30 -

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Herb Dhaliwal, contact:

Amanda Silvers
604-585-5509