The prestigious TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership
    recognizes 20 outstanding Canadian youth with up to $70,000 each

    OTTAWA, May 7 /CNW/ - Today, at an awards ceremony in Ottawa, 20 of
Canada's brightest and most committed students were awarded the TD Canada
Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership. The $70,000 scholarship covers
post-secondary tuition and living expenses, and offers summer employment for
the next four years so that Canada's all-star team of students can focus on
their studies and not worry about their finances.
    The scholarship is one of Canada's most prestigious and celebrates
community leadership both in and out of the classroom.
    Organizing activities to bridge the social gap for new immigrants,
developing an eco-friendly passive solar panel tracking system and preserving
the Latino culture in the far north are just a few of the accomplishments of
this year's TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership recipients
who were selected by a panel of prominent Canadian Senators, business
professionals and past award recipients.
    "This year's 20 winners are inspirational examples of the true potential
and passion of young Canadians. By easing the costs associated with heading
off to university or college, TD is helping these individuals have the
financial support they need to stay focused on achieving their goals and
dreams of being tomorrow's community leaders - across Canada and globally,"
said Tim Hockey, Group Head Canadian Banking and President and CEO, TD Canada
Trust. "TD's scholarship program continues to be one of the country's most
coveted awards. And when most funding has seen cut backs given the current
environment, TD has actually increased our support of Canadian youth by
awarding an additional $10,000 per scholarship recipient, making each
scholarship worth $70,000."
    TD Canada Trust will provide more than $1 million to its current
scholarship recipients, part of its commitment to youth education that will
total more than $2.6 million in 2009.
    "Helping new immigrants adjust to their new lives in Canada brings me
tremendous feelings of satisfaction," said Humza Nusrat, 2009 scholarship
recipient. "As the son of immigrant parents, I have grown-up with an
appreciation for the fact that Canada is a place of opportunity and I want to
expose others to this. Receiving a scholarship from TD will allow me to
experience opportunity in a different way while still making a difference in
my community."
    "I feel pride and a sense of excitement for what Canada's future holds
when I think of the achievements this year's 20 winners have made," said The
Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the
Atlantic Gateway who was the keynote speaker at today's ceremony. "These
individuals are truly remarkable and serve as an example of what can be
accomplished when the right combination of ambition, passion and teamwork
takes hold. I can only imagine what positive change will take place as
Canada's all-star team of students get ready to shape the future of Canada."
    Regional judging panels interviewed a shortlist of 63 finalists from the
3,800 applicants, which was led by the scholarship program's Executive
Director, Dr. Jane Thompson. A complete list of recipients can be found at
www.tdcanadatrust.com/scholarship. Some of this year's exceptional recipients
include:

    Eden Full of Calgary, AB, invented an eco-friendly passive solar panel
tracking system with a sustainable design that anyone can easily construct and
repair. An aspiring social entrepreneur in engineering, Eden hopes to build a
non-profit organization to patent and distribute her solar panel design
globally.

    Humza Nusrat of Ajax, ON, created an intramural cricket league at his
high school to help integrate isolated, young immigrants into the school
community. Interested in human rights, he also founded an Amnesty
International youth group and also started his own snow-shovelling business to
support his family through difficult financial times.

    Ketaki Rawal of Brossard, QC, inspired by her volunteer work in India at
an orphanage and an eye hospital, started a chapter of PRASAD (Philanthropic
Relief, Altruistic Service and Development) at her college to raise awareness
and funds for the blind in India.

    Mauricio Ruiz of Whitehorse, YT, celebrated his Colombian heritage by
reviving a Spanish language newspaper, Voces Latinas, in order to preserve
Latino culture in the far north. The print and web editions that he edits
serve more than 130 Spanish-speaking members of his community.

    The 2009 judges included Janet Austin CEO, YWCA of Vancouver; Steven
Endicott Director of Development, Vancouver Art Gallery; Dr. David Barnard
President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Winnipeg; Senator, the Honourable
Janis Johnson; Ruth Ramsden-Wood President, United Way, Calgary and Area; Dr.
David Naylor President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Toronto; Senator, the
Honourable Donald H. Oliver; Dr. Miriam Rossi Board of Trustees, BBPA National
Scholarship Fund; Charlotte Teeple Executive Director, Canadian Children's
Book Centre; Julie Toskan-Casale President, Toskan Casale Foundation; Dr.
Thomas R. Williams Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Queen's University; Marc
Chalifoux Executive Director, The Dominion Institute; Louis Larivière Director
of Development, HEC Montreal; Manon Vennat Principal, Manon Vennat &
Associates; Carol McDougall Director of Communications, United Way of Halifax
and Claire Munroe Coordinator, Learning & Employment Centre, Phoenix Youth
Programs.
    Joining the judging panel this year are former TD Scholarship winners
Quyen Ly (1997 Recipient), Raymond Ko (2005 Recipient), Kristen Coutts (2005
Recipient), Melissa Martin (2005 Recipient), Philippe Lapointe (2006
Recipient), and Sara Mahaney (2005 Recipient). They have been asked to
continue their legacy for this year's winners by acting as mentors.

    About the TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership Program

    The TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership is open to all
students in their final year of high school, and who will be attending
post-secondary school during the following year. Applications for 2010 will be
available this fall at TD Canada Trust branches, high school and CEGEP
guidance offices and online at www.tdcanadatrust.com/scholarship.

    TD Community Giving: Making a Difference Together

    Children's health, literacy and education, and the environment are the
three main areas of focus for TD's community giving. Flagship programs within
these areas include: TD Children's Hospital Fund; TD Friends of the
Environment Foundation; TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup; TD Canadian
Children's Book Week; TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership;
and the TD Summer Reading Club. With support from customers and employees, TD
is involved with a host of national, regional and local causes benefiting
diversity, arts and culture and other community programs. In 2008, TD donated
$35 million to more than 2,100 organizations across Canada.

    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
    Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
    website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
    members of the media/

For further information: or to arrange an interview: GCI Group on behalf
of TDBFG, Stephanie Sayer, (416) 486-5921, stephanie.sayer@gcicanada.com; Naz
Araghian, (416) 486-7225, naz.araghian@gcicanada.com; On-site contact number
during the scholarship event in Ottawa: (647) 883-0820; TD Bank Financial
Group contact: Jacqueline Burns, (416) 308-0177, jacqueline.burns@td.com