Sheila James Fund to be established at "Equal Voice"

TORONTO , Nov. 23 /CNW/ - Family, friends and former colleagues of Sheila James are pleased to announce the establishment of the Sheila James Fund at Equal Voice, a national, multi-partisan, non-profit organization devoted to the goal of electing more women at every level of government in Canada .

Sheila, a self-described "public affairs professional and occasional political hack", was a former journalist who became a communications strategist and advisor at Queen's Park for both former Premier David Peterson and Premier Dalton McGuinty. She died at the age of 48 in August, 2009, after battling breast cancer.

Liberal MPP Greg Sorbara will read a tribute in the Ontario legislature to Sheila on Tuesday November 24th with her husband, Wayde Preston, and her daughters, 13-year old Georgina and 11-year old Ellen, watching from the public gallery.

"Sheila believed that the election of more women to all levels of government would be a positive development, and I know she would be pleased with the establishment of this fund in her name," says Preston.

Donna Dasko, the National Chair of Equal Voice, says the organization is honoured to host the Sheila James Fund and will "use it wisely and judiciously to advance some of Sheila's great passions and interests," including "working with all political parties to nominate more women as candidates and successfully facilitate the entry of more women into political life."

For further information on donations to the Sheila James Fund, please visit www.equalvoice.ca

For further information: Equal Voice contact: Nancy Peckford, Executive Director, [phone]; Sheila James contact: Jim Maclean, [phone]