Budding politicians polish debating skills

McKayla Morgan isn't thinking about a career in politics, but that's not to say that taking part in the Youth Parliament over three days at the Yukon legislature didn't help her continue on the path to a degree in psychology.

McKayla Morgan isn’t thinking about a career in politics, but that’s not to say that taking part in the Youth Parliament over three days at the Yukon legislature didn’t help her continue on the path to a degree in psychology.

The Grade 12 F.H. Collins Secondary School student was one of 18 youth who participated in last week’s annual event.

It involved presentations on government, watching MLAs in question period, team-building exercises and other events that culminated in a mock session for the young parliamentarians on Friday afternoon.

This marked Morgan’s second year in taking part in the session and was an opportunity for the teenager to make some observations about people’s behaviour given her future career goals in psychology.

“It’s great to see how people act,“ she said following the mock parliament.

The discussions in the legislature ranged from expanding Yukon College into a university to providing affordable housing.

They were pretty intense, but after the session ended, the young parliamentarians were talking as they had before they had gone into debate, Morgan noted.

Grade 6 students from seven schools blasted off on the annual Marsville Link Up Day on Friday.

More than 120 participants simulated a space launch and colonizing Mars at the Vanier Catholic Secondary School gymnasium.

It was the biggest Yukon group ever to take part in the event, which included participation from schools throughout Canada and the United States.

“Marsville is a fun, hands-on experiential education project that engages students in science and brings kids together to build something out of this world,“ Education Minister Patrick Rouble said shortly before the event.

Its purpose is to raise interest in science, space and technology. Classes spent months preparing for the event by studying Mars and space exploration.

They made computerized Mars rover robots with Lego and ran their rovers through a maze. Some of the best of their home-built space suits were presented.

In the morning, the students lifted off and built their life support systems - space domes - out of plastic. A display of alternative energy was also presented in the morning by Energy Solutions Centre staff.

As well, students viewed a five-minute video prepared by Canadian astronaut Steve McLean especially for the Yukon students.

Participating schools were the Grade 6 late French immersion class from Whitehorse Elementary School, Jack Hulland Elementary School, Elijah Smith

Elementary School, Robert Service School (Dawson City), Tantalus School (Carmacks), which had its official opening last week, St. Elias School (Haines Junction) and Atlin School (Atlin, B.C.).

While there were a lot of similarities between this session and the one Morgan took part in last year, she was pleased students had to come up with the topics for debate this year, she said Friday afternoon.

“I like the fact we got to make our own ideas this time,“ she said.

The group of 16- to 18-year-olds was divided into two groups of nine that would make up the government and opposition. The two groups also got to experience both sides of the legislature, taking turns as government and opposition.

While Morgan enjoyed experiencing both sides of the assembly, toeing the party line wasn’t always easy, particularly on issues of child care and medicare.

“It’s quite hard to argue against that,“ she said.

As debate began on the expansion of Yukon College, Morgan sat in government, arguing in favour of the expansion. Had she been in opposition, she would have had to argue against it.

Some in the opposition pointed to the high drop-out rate many universities have with first-year students.

Conversely, Morgan countered that it’s better students be in their own communities where they can figure out their future than be Outside with no family there to help them.

The government side argued the territory’s surplus of $108 million could be used to get the university off the ground, with the opposition arguing that money should go to improving the current education system in the territory.

The debate about the university ended in a 10-8 vote to move forward.

The session in the legislature came a day after watching question period in the house with Speaker Ted Staffen, who started the Youth Parliament after a 16-year hiatus, discussing the proceedings with the youth afterward.

During the session, Staffen had to tell some MLAs not to personalize the debate. He noted in this case, he had to tell both sides of the house that members can’t speak of individuals, but must speak of the party as a whole.

As the youth session came to end, Staffen thanked all the participants.