The following statement was issued today by Gerry Reid, Minister of Education. It was also read in the House of Assembly.

Canadian Student Leadership Conference

I rise this afternoon to tell this Honourable House about an exciting event scheduled to take place in St. John�s this coming fall. Prince of Wales Collegiate has been selected to host the national Canadian Student Leadership Conference from September 27 - October 4.

This is only the second time a school from this province has been chosen to host this prestigious event and we are delighted to have some student and teacher representatives in the public gallery today from PWC - Mr. Allister Dyke, principal of PWC, Bernice Langdon, conference chair, and students Christian Dicks, Betty Soo, Zan Au You and Kayla Dyer.

More than 600 students and teachers from across Canada will come to St. John�s for one week to participate in this leadership conference and explore the theme, Unlock the Future. Delegates will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills so they can unlock the doors to the future and become the leaders of tomorrow.

The conference will feature a full schedule of activities as the students learn about the importance of community service, volunteerism, team work, determination and education. They will learn and develop leadership skills that will prepare them to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

We are delighted this conference is being held in St. John�s as it gives students from more than 40 schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador the opportunity to learn from the finest instructors involved in leadership training. Under their guidance, the students will access the highest level of instruction and strengthen their own personal leadership talents. For these students, it will be an experience of a lifetime.

An added bonus is that in addition to the workshops and seminars planned by Prince of Wales Collegiate, the hosts have also organized an array of activities to showcase the culture and heritage of our beautiful province. Some of the out-of-province students will begin their trip in Gros Morne National Park, and will then drive as a convoy across the province.

They will show student leaders from across Canada the real Newfoundland and Labrador, and these leaders will return to their own provinces as ambassadors for this province.

I ask honourable members to join with me in congratulating the organizing committee of PWC and wishing them all the best as they welcome the future leaders of Canada to our province.

2003 05 06                                     2:40 p.m.