The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday December 12, 2008 - 49 Local youths looking to become Canada's Next Great Prime Minister narrowed them down to three based on what a sample of youth and adults believed to be the most important issues. His platform focuses on skilled labour, Two Oakville high school alumni are serious on becoming Canada's Next Great healthcare, and climate change. As prime minister, Ralevic would introPrime Minister. George Sipsis, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and duce a national immigrant mentorship proPeter Ralevic, Iroquois Ridge, are taking gram that would match incoming immipart in CBC's Canada's Next Great Prime grants with business through a six-month to year-long internship proMinister competition this year. gram. They've each established their He believes the initiaown platforms and reached out to tive would help integrate the public through videos and immigrants and benefit Facebook groups to garner attenthe Canadian economy. tion for their political, economic He would also address and social agendas. the doctor shortage by "The whole point of the comcreating a physician propetition is to raise awareness and gram in partnership with to get people involved. That's provinces. Under his prohow I got interested and that's gram, the federal governwhat I want to do," Sipsis said ment would fund the cost about the purpose of the compeof medical school for tition. individuals from rural The competition starts online Peter Ralevic regions and first nation's and is open to young Canadians aged 18-25. In the first stage of the chal- communities in return for a commitment to lenge, contestants are asked to submit an work in those areas for five years after gradonline video of their platforms, as well as uation. Lastly, he plans to restore global confifacilitate discussions and forums to engage dence on the issue of climate change by youth and adults. "So far it (the competition) is working," establishing "a rigorous clean, green energy said Ralevic. "People are getting behind me, alternatives policy plan," that would and supporting me and also stating what increase Canada's proportion of renewable they disagree with and what they agree energy production to 20 per cent by 2025. Ralevic said his educational background with." Ralevic said he proposed 10 possible as a PhD student at the Faculty of Forestry, agendas to include in his platform, and then University of Toronto, would add a different SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER By Hiba Kesebi perspective to the competition. Sipsis's two other agendas include mak"During my masters... I worked in rural ing Election Day a national holiday, so voter areas of India, where I looked at how to turnout would increase, as well as increasbring electricity to villages that are far ing funding for health care and extracurricremoved from central areas. We looked at ular activities, so all Canadians could afford integrating social economic and environ- recreation and play. mental aspects to the research. Before Dec. 20, contestants must facili"This international work has given me a tate a Community Action Challenge to genperspective in terms of our global responsi- erate discussion on how to make Canada bility to citizens of other better socially, politically and ecocountries, in terms of the nomically. policies we make at Eight semi-finalists will be home." chosen based on the community Like Ralevic, Sipsis, challenge, votes and interviews who plans on applying to with CBC. medical school, has outThe semi-finalists will be lined three major projrequired to attend a three day ects that he would like to boot camp where they learn tackle as Prime Minister. about public relations and poliIn response to the tics. Four finalists will be selected current economic crisis, at the boot camp, and they will Sipsis aims to expand appear on CBC television for a Canada's "trade relations one hour finale, in March 2009. horizon" beyond the Both contestants stressed the George Sipsis United States. need to get Canadians involved in "Trade connections with U.S. are healthy politics. -- we should keep relations with U.S.," he "This affects every Canadian citizen's said. daily life. We should all be involved," Sipsis "But we should also pick a moderate said. approach to expand our horizon, but not too The candidates suggest this can be drastically because we don't want to get accomplished by introducing a more thorswallowed by countries like China or India." ough curriculum of Canadian politics to Sipsis believes trade relations with the high-school students. European Union would benefit Canada most To watch their or other candidates because it would penetrate the American videos, visit www.cbc.ca/nextprimeminister economy, bring revenue to the Canadian and click on candidates. To vote, you must government and jobs to Canadians. register as a user. For that special person on your list who has everything... amount, they choose the show! Upcoming world-class artists include Lunch at Allen's, Ailey II Dance Company, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, America, MG3: Montreal Guitar Trio, Emilie-Claire Barlow, The Strawbs and Chuck Mangione. Please check out our website for more information on all of the shows in the upcoming 2009 Season. per person (including taxes) you can also purchase a Gift Certificate for a special pre-theatre menu at one of these fine Downtown Oakville restaurants: Paradiso, Ristorante Julia or The Rude Native. This special pre-theatre three course meal includes your choice of appetizer, main entrée and dessert, plus tea or coffee. To purchase these Gift Certificates, please call our Box Office at 905-815-2021 or 1-888-489-7784 www.oakvillecentre.ca