Great opportunities lie at the fingertips of Grade 11 and 12 students from across Canada who want to be accepted to attend the Forum for Young Canadians.

Forum for Young Canadians is a program that brings young people into Parliament and exposes them to the inner workings of our government system. Held in our nation's capital, this event runs four sessions every Spring. Approximately 150 students attend each week-long event.

Each session includes a question-and-answer period, group discussions, and several simulations --an election, a Cabinet committee, a House of Commons question period, and a federal-provincial conference.

Participating students are selected by a committee of staff within their school, based on a letter they have written to explain why they should be accepted to attend the Forum.

Forum for Young Canadians is looking for people who would be good ambassadors for their schools, students who love to think critically and who are open minded.

Those who are interested in entering the field of politics definitely should consider attending, says Mr.Steve Holbrow, a GVC history teacher who attended a session of the Forum in the spring of 2001. "Students are immersed in it for a whole week. It is a whole new perspective; it is suddenly real," Holbrow commented.

For prospective candidates, more information on Forum for Young Canadians is available at the official web site: www.forum.com