At a weekend workshop discussion in Stellarton today, a group of young people from across the province enthusiastically agreed to launch a Nova Scotia campaign for a Charter of Youth Rights!

“With the new reactionary Harper Conservative government, now’s the time to really bring together the threads of resistance among youth and students and fight back for our rights,” said Mark Hamilton, a local postal worker and trade unionist.

“How come there are billions of dollars for war, but nothing for education or jobs?” he added, emphasizing that young people needed significantly higher minimum wages, free education, and full equality.

“Youth have a right to live in a world at peace, to have a healthy and safe environment — these are basic human rights, not privileges” he said.

The Charter campaign in Nova Scotia is challenging municipal, provincial and federal governments to adopt of a declaration of youth rights, defending and protecting the rights of youth.

Discussions during the weekend talked about the importance of outreaching to other youth organizations, building the public face of the campaign, and ideas to facilitate a major cross-province debate in Nova Scotia on the future of the youth.

For more information, check out www.charterofyouthrights.ca/novascotia/ or their group of Facebook.