National Bank announces its partnership with La marée aux 1 000 vagues

Montreal, 2 June 2003 - 

The National Bank is proud to be associated, for the second year in a row, with the national event La marée aux 1 000 vagues, Les flamboyantes lueurs du fleuve to be held from August 28 to September 1 in Rivière-du-Loup.

As an important player on the Canadian economic scene, the National Bank feels it has an important role to play in promoting and protecting Canadian art and culture. La marée aux 1 000 vagues, a multidisciplinary presentation of popular art, therefore ties in perfectly with its priorities. In 2002, the Bank allocated more than 20% of its donations and sponsorship budget to this sector of activity. The Bank's art collection of some 5,500 works—one of the largest corporate collections in Canada—is a reflection of the country's historical and artistic heritage.

Every year, this event attracts more than 1,250 visual and theatre artists, who get together in Rivière-du-Loup to paint a banner 2,500 feet long, producing a universally accessible work on a national scale. The event, which lasts five full days and combines visual and theatre arts on the shores of the St. Lawrence, as well as on the river itself, is not only artistically stimulating but also highlights one of Quebec's loveliest regions. In all, some 25,000 people are expected to visit Rivière-du-Loup during that week towards the end of summer, and over a million others will see the results of the event when it subsequently tours the rest of Canada.

About the National Bank of Canada

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 over $75 billion and, together with its subsidiaries, employs over 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.

Information :

(the telephone number and e-mail address provided below are for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives):

Denis Dubé
Manager, Public Relations Department
National Bank of Canada
Tel.: (514) 394-8644
E-mail: denis.dube@bnc.ca