Democracy 250 co-chairs John Hamm and Russell MacLellan have agreed to be trustees for a fund established to continue efforts to encourage more young Nova Scotians to become active, engaged citizens who vote.

The Democracy 250 Youth Engagement Legacy Trust, established with the unspent portion of Democracy 250's budget, will fund organizations that complement D250's youth engagement objectives.

"The trust allows us to build on the momentum of the past year," Dr. Hamm said. "Youth have consistently told us that they want to learn more about government and to have more opportunities to participate in the kind of programming D250 introduced in 2008. This trust will allow us to support the students, teachers and youth organizations who have called for more programs that are consistent with D250's mandate."

Democracy 250, the organization established to celebrate and commemorate 250 years of parliamentary democracy in Canada, closed its offices today, March 31. Two reports, An Account of the Year Marking 250 Years of Parliamentary Democracy in Canada  and Is Anybody Listening?, D250's youth report, will be tabled in the Nova Scotia Legislature when it resumes sitting this spring. Both reports, along with hundreds of detailed files to be deposited with Nova Scotia Archives and Record Management, provide an exhaustive account of the Democracy 250 celebration.

The total amount of the trust, estimated at $600,000, will not be known until the federal government does its final reconciliation of  Democracy 250's budget, expected in about four to six weeks. 

Dr. Hamm and Mr. MacLellan will not be paid, but will receive per diems to cover meeting expenses.

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Democracy 250 co-chairs John Hamm and Russell MacLellan have agreed to be trustees for a fund to continue efforts to encourage more young Nova Scotians to become active, engaged citizens who vote.  The Democracy 250 Youth Engagement Legacy Trust, established with the unspent portion of Democracy 250's budget, preliminarily estimated at $600,000, will fund organizations that complement D250's youth engagement objectives. Dr. Hamm says the trust will help build on the momentum of the past year and support students, teachers and youth organizations who have called for more programs that are consistent with D250's mandate.

Democracy 250, the organization established to celebrate and commemorate 250 years of parliamentary democracy in Canada, closed its offices today (March 31). It will table an overall report and a youth report in the Nova Scotia Legislature when it resumes sitting this spring.

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Media Contact: Moira MacLeod
               Democracy 250
               Cell: 902-424-1122
               E-mail: macleoml@gov.ns.ca