NEWS PAPER ARCTICLES ABOUT SIEGE:

NATIONAL POST AUG. 22nd 2005

"Young and wild ... for traditional values" by Melissa Leong

A team of students and young professionals are travelling the country meeting with politicians to tell them they've got the wrong idea about the next generation.

The perception is that young people are departing from the traditional morals and values of their parents and grandparents, said Faytene Kryskow, a Vancouver author. "We're here to say that's not true," the 30-year-old said yesterday. "They hold fast to the traditional view of family and marriage. They value life, whether it's seniors or unborn babies and freedom of religion."

Ms. Kryskow founded the nine-city tour, called "Siege - Storm the Hill," which began in Victoria on Aug. 11 and stopped in Toronto over the weekend. The 10-member team -- consisting of people 17 to 36 years old from the western provinces -- is headed to Ottawa tomorrow for a rally on Parliament Hill. They're urging socially conservative youths to engage in politics and society. "If you've got conviction, you need to make your voice heard," she said. "The voice that has the highest volume is the aggressive, ideologically Liberal voice."

Today, the team and local young people are meeting with Liberal MPs Mario Sergio and Kathleen Wynne. They've already met with B.C. MP Stockwell Day and Alberta MP Myron Thompson. Ms. Kryskow said the response from politicians has been positive. Team member Christina Groot, who works in communications in Vancouver, said her most memorable moment on the tour so far was their meeting with Mr. Thompson. When he spoke to her, he had tears in his eyes, she said. "He said this is a dream to him that the next generation is standing up for the things he's fought for his entire life," said the 25-year-old. Yesterday, she stood in front of Queen's Park in a purple blazer, jeans and lime green shoes.

The team held a prayer meeting on the front lawn with local youths; almost 50 people prayed and sang to an acoustic guitar, their eyes closed, arms outstretched.
Jesse Sudirgo, a 21-year-old York University student and a member of the Indonesian Christian Church of Canada, said strong numbers of young people are religious and hold steadfast to traditional values.

"You go to each university campus or high school campus, you'll notice a Christian fellowship. Even at my high school, [the Christian club] was the biggest club," he said as he stood barefoot in the grass at yesterday's prayer meeting. "We feel right now that the church needs to rise up - big time."