Telesat Canada Commences Registered Exchange Offer for Its 11.0% Senior Notes Due 2015 and 12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2017

OTTAWA, June 29, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telesat Canada today announced an offer to exchange (1) any and all of the US$692,825,000 outstanding principal amount of its 11.0% Senior Notes due 2015 for an equal amount of new 11.0% Senior Notes due 2015 and (2) any and all of the US$217,175,000 outstanding principal amount of its 12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2017 for an equal amount of new 12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2017. Telesat LLC is, and will be, the co-issuer of the notes. In addition, the outstanding notes are, and the new notes will be, fully and unconditionally guaranteed on an unsecured basis by Telesat Canada's parent company, Telesat Holdings Inc., and certain of its domestic and foreign subsidiaries.

The terms of the new notes are substantially the same as the original notes, except that the new notes will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the new notes have no transfer restrictions, rights to additional interest or registration rights, except for certain restrictions on transfers of new notes in Canada under applicable Canadian securities laws. The new notes have not been, and will not be, qualified for distribution under the securities laws of any province or territory of Canada except pursuant to available exemptions therefrom.

The exchange offer commenced on June 29, 2009 and is scheduled to expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on July 28 2009, unless extended.

A written prospectus providing the terms of the exchange offer may be obtained through the exchange agent, which can be contacted at:

                      The Bank of New York Mellon
                          101 Barclay Street
                    Reorganization Unit - Floor 7E
                          New York, NY 10286
                        Telephone: 212-815-3738

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The exchange offer is being made only pursuant to the prospectus dated June 29, 2009 (and to Canadian residents only pursuant to a private placement memorandum of the same date) and only to such persons and in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law.

About Telesat (www.telesat.com)

Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices and facilities around the world, Telesat is the fourth-largest fixed satellite services operator. The company provides reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. Telesat has a global state-of-the-art fleet of 12 satellites, and one additional satellite under construction, and manages the operations of 13 additional satellites for third parties.

CONTACT:  Telesat
          Michael Bolitho
          +1 613 748-8700 ext. 2336
          mbolitho@telesat.com