A week in Ottawa learning about federal politics was an incredible experience for one Assiniboia Composite High School student. Katherine Meagher, who is in Grade 10, was selected by the Forum for Young Canadians to attend its first 2017 session from February 20 to 25.
Meagher applied in early January for the program which she discovered through the Prairie 麻豆传媒AV School Division Career Newsletter. As part of the application process, Meagher had to submit a letter of motivation and send in a resume. There are quotas on numbers of students from each area of Canada, and Katherine feels fortunate that she was selected to attend.
While at Forum, students participate in various simulations that represent government at the federal level which include creating statements as members of parliament, premiers鈥� meetings and creating a federal budget. Meagher felt the most fascinating was the premiers鈥� simulation, or the trade simulation, while the lobbying simulation was the least appealing. 聽
In addition, Forum participants got to go to Parliament Hill almost every day. She was amazed by the architecture and history of all the buildings and was excited that she attended during Canada鈥檚 150th anniversary. The House of Commons and the Senate are being moved to alternate locations while the building is being renovated over the next ten years. Another highlight for Meagher was attending Question Period. However, the long security line meant that she was only there for 20 minutes.
Forum participants also attended a Member of Parliament reception with the MPs from their riding and other dignitaries who were available. Meagher was able to meet her parliamentary representative, David Anderson, MP for Cypress Hills-Grasslands. Anderson presented her with a certificate for attending the Forum. Meagher appreciated that he made time in his hectic schedule to meet her because there were many agriculture meetings going on in Ottawa that same night. She also met other MPs from Saskatchewan and even saw Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier.
The Forum for Young Canadians is a program of the Foundation for the Study of Processes of Government in Canada and is subsidized by Scotiabank, Export Development Canada and various other Canadian corporations. This makes the program and travel much more affordable for young Canadians across the country to attend. 鈥淚 would really like publicly to express my gratitude to the Legion for sponsoring my trip to Ottawa and the Forum,鈥� stated Meagher, who noted that Assiniboia鈥檚 Royal Canadian Legion Branch #17 also sponsored her to attend. She presented some of her experiences to the Legion on April 25 at the Legion鈥檚 regular monthly meeting.
鈥淚 had a great chance to meet friends from across the nation,鈥� Meagher said about the social benefits of the event, in addition to all of the great experiences learning about Canada鈥檚 political system. She would encourage other young people to attend because it was a great opportunity to see how our country鈥檚 government functions.
