British Columbia Youth Parliament

The British Columbia Youth Parliament (BCYP) is a youth service organization that operates in the guise of a "parliament" in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BCYP fulfills its motto of "Youth Serving Youth" by means of "legislation" enacting community service projects and other youth-oriented activities. The BCYP is the successor to the Older Boys' Parliament of British Columbia, which first met in 1924.

The BCYP Mace

Annual session

Each year between December 27–31, youth aged 16 to 21 from across British Columbia gather in the Legislative Chambers of the B.C. Parliament Buildings in the capital city of Victoria for the BCYP annual session. Members sit as independents (i.e., they do not represent any political party) and vote according to their individual conscience on all issues. They learn about parliamentary process, debate topics of interest, and plan numerous activities for the upcoming year. Proposed activities, usually in the form of community service projects, are presented in the form of government bills; once passed they must be put into effect. This model differs from most other model (or "mock") youth parliaments in Canada; legislation passed by the membership is enacted by the organization through volunteer work in the community.

During the sittings of the BCYP during its December session, members of the BCYP (usually backbenchers) are given the opportunity to present "Private Members' Resolutions" (PMRs) for debate. These are usually on topics related to current events or other issues important to members and usually contain a provision for communicating the decision of the BCYP on that topic to the actual governmental authorities or other parties responsible for those issues. On occasion, a PMR on a whimsical topic is introduced.

Unlike a real parliamentary government, the BCYP "government" cannot fall if it loses a vote on what would otherwise be a vote of confidence, such as a money bill or a motion of non-confidence.

During the week that the BCYP meets in the Legislature, the members elect a new Premier, Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Speaker for the next legislative year.

On the last day of the annual sitting of the BCYP, a Prorogation ceremony is held. As part of the ceremony, the Lieutenant Governor (a person appointed by the Premier, usually a prominent person in the community) signs all approved bills into "law". After the December sittings, the members become the organization's own "civil service" and implement the community service projects legislated at the session. Legislation passed at the session is subject to review by the organization's Senate.

For most of the BCYP's history, the legislative year was referred to a "session"; however, in the mid-1990s the BCYP began referring to the annual session as a "parliament", in keeping with Parliamentary tradition.

Organizational structure

The BCYP models itself on the Westminster Parliamentary system. The BCYP is sponsored by the Youth Parliament of B.C. Alumni Association. In keeping with the parliamentary structure of the BCYP, the board of directors of the Alumni Association is referred to as the "Senate".

The BCYP itself is led by a cabinet appointed by the Premier-elect. The Premier-elect also appoints various other officers, such as a Lieutenant Governor, a Speaker, a Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and a Sergeant-At-Arms, among others. The legislative year for a Premier and their cabinet runs from September 15 to September 14 of the following year. The Premier and Cabinet plan the government's legislative plan and prepare the bills for consideration at the December sitting of the BCYP.

Members of the BCYP are not elected to the Youth Parliament. Instead, potential members apply for the limited number of available positions. Applicants must be nominated by an organization that supports youth activities (i.e., community, school, or church club or group). The applicants are then selected by a committee made up of representatives of the Senate and the BCYP cabinet. The selection committee attempts to ensure that all parts of the province are represented. This includes selecting at least one applicant from each of the real ridings for the actual provincial legislature (subject to there being an applicant from that riding). At the December sitting, all members will be assigned to a riding. Members who come from a riding that is over-represented (usually from one of the larger urban centres) may be assigned a riding from which no applications were submitted. Otherwise, some ridings may have two or more members.

"Legislated" projects and programs

General

The purpose of the Older Boys' Parliament (OBP) in its early years was to recommend changes and additions to the "Canadian Standards Efficiency Training" (CSET) programme (see History, below) and to promote Christian boys life. Its legislation usually consisted of recommendations made to the Boys' Work Board of British Columbia ("BWBBC") (see History, below) rather than its own programmes, and occasional resolutions on social issues (such as temperance and school curricula).

During the 1950s, the OBP began to develop a more service-oriented programme run by its own members rather than working with programmes run by other organizations (the exception to this being camps). Projects included annual hobby shows, athletic competitions, leadership training programmes, and work with handicapped youth.

The OBP's social service programme expanded in the 1960s, with more work with the handicapped, delinquent boys, book drives, and food drives. The OBP's project for Canada's Centennial was to help finance and build a church and meeting hall on a Nitinagt Indian Reserve on Vancouver Island.

In 1981, the BCYP funded and constructed a playground for children living at Skeena Terrace, a provincially sponsored subsidized housing project at Cassiar and Broadway in Vancouver.

In the 1980s, the Youth Parliament projects expanded to include educational workshops, youth oriented conferences, and the Regional Youth Parliament (RYP) program. Projects introduced in the 2000s include summer youth festivals and essay contests. In 2005, the BCYP established a youth conference known as "The Stand".

Observers program

In 1959 the OBP created the Observers Program. The purpose of this program was to give potential members an idea of what OBP did before joining, to provide a "sounding board" to members for feedback, and as a means of reducing high turnover in OBP as becoming a member would become something to work for above observer status. Observers, aged 15 to 16, attended the entire session, and took part in all activities except sitting in the Legislative Chambers. The Observer program ended in 1973, at which time the Older Boys' Parliament became the Youth Parliament.

Camp Phoenix

While camping had been a steady part of the OBP program since its inception, the OBP had always participated in the operation of camps run by other organizations, but never its own. This changed in December 1967 when the 37th Session legislated Camp Phoenix. That first Camp Phoenix was held at Camp George Pringle in the summer of 1968, with 36 underprivileged and handicapped boys in attendance.

Camp Phoenix expanded over the decades to serve both boys and girls. For a number of years, Camp Phoenix was held in August every year, often at a different location in British Columbia each year. Camp Phoenix was funded and organized by the BCYP members, with a few key positions at the camp itself (such as medical staff and camp director) held by alumni or other adults. From the first camp through 2010, approximately 1500 children attended Camp Phoenix. In 2011, BCYP decided not to hold Camp Phoenix. During 2014, BCYP operated an afternoon day-camp program as a potential replacement for Camp Phoenix, known as "Project Phoenix." At the 86th Session in December 2014, BCYP re-established the Ministry of Project Phoenix to formally oversee the new program, called "Project Phoenix". Based upon the success of Project Phoenix, at the 87th Session in December 2015, the BCYP re-established the Ministry of Camp Phoenix and the membership passed legislation enabling Camp Phoenix. Camp Phoenix occurred in August 2016 at Deep Cove, British Columbia.

Regional Youth Parliaments

In 1937, in an attempt to expand the number of people that could be involved, the OBP experimented by attempting to hold three separate parliaments around the province, instead of the one in Victoria. As a result of the hiatus during World War II, and the effort to rebuild the OBP in the late 1940s, no real thought was given to regional parliaments until the 1960s. During the late 1960s, into 1970, the Older Boys' Parliament made efforts to establish a regional program, but a program of regional parliaments never came to fruition.

The current form of the RYPs originated in 1987, when a pilot RYP was held in Creston, British Columbia for the Kootenay region. Legislation formally establishing a RYP program was introduced at the 60th Session in 1989. As before, a primary goal of the RYP program was to increase the number of young people who could participate in the BCYP. Since then, RYPs have been established throughout the province. The oldest RYP currently in existence is the Vancouver Youth Parliament, which has run without interruption since 1988. While a number of the early RYPs are defunct, the current Regional Youth Parliaments include:

• Vancouver Youth Parliament
• Richmond Delta Youth Parliament
• Fraser Youth Parliament
• Islands Youth Parliament
• Interior Youth Parliament (Formed from the merger of the former Northern British Columbia Youth Parliament and the Southern Interior Youth Parliament)

History

Origin

Like most other Youth Parliaments in Canada, the BCYP has its origins in the "boys work" movement of the YMCA of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. "Boys' work" was meant to answer the need for activities for young men who worked by day but were idle by night. Various programs came and went, often incorporating a dominant YMCA philosophy of the "four-fold" development of the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of the person, based upon Luke 2:52: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

Unofficial Coat of Arms of the BCYP

Taylor Statten, a Boer War recruit who joined the YMCA as a means of continuing his physical fitness activities upon military discharge, was driven by his ambition to design a proper boys' work program with the Toronto YMCA, attending various national boys conferences. In 1912, Statten became the Boys' Work Secretary on the national YMCA executive. Borrowing from both Canadian and American YMCA programs, and aspects of the Boy Scouts, Statten established the "Canadian Standards Efficiency Training" program, a system of graded tests where boys passed from one level to the next. These standards were borrowed from the "four-fold" philosophy.

Under the CSET program came the Trail Rangers (boys 12 - 14) and TUXIS (ages 15 – 17). A similar program for girls known as the Canadian Girls in Training were formed a number of years later. The popularity of the CSET program was such that boys' work soon became a virtually separate movement within the YMCA

In 1916 Statten embarked on a "Coast to Coast Tour" to promote the CSET program, which included a stop in Vancouver. It was on this tour that Statten first envisioned a national boys conference, modelled on various regional conferences promoting boys' work. Statten believed in letting the boys determine their own priorities, and his idea soon developed into the concept of a boys' Parliament. However, the National Boys' Work Board considered this beyond their capability, at least during the Great War, which was being waged at the time. Fortunately, the Ontario BWB was interested, and Statten organized the first Ontario TUXIS & Older Boys' Parliament in 1917.

Due to the program's success, Statten encouraged the involvement of the churches, in order to reach even more boys in Canada. Various Protestant churches became involved, and a National Boys' Work Board was established with an executive body made up of YMCA and church representatives. In 1921 an independent Boys' Work Board was established, as the YMCA preferred to take a lesser role in a movement that was diverting too much attention and resources from other Y programs.

Early years to World War II

The first Older Boys' Parliament of British Columbia was held in January 1924. The Premier was Walter S. Owen, who later became the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. (1973–1978). The new organization was donated its mace, which is still used today, by St. Andrews Presbyterian (now the United Church), where Owen's TUXIS group met.

During the Great Depression, a number of serious issues faced the OBP. These included lower financial resources. The OBP's ability to use the Legislative Chambers of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the capital city of Victoria was threatened by those offended by the OBP allowing Asian members to attend. Before World War II, the OBP decided to experiment with holding its session outside of Victoria. A proposed session under this plan in New Westminster in 1937 had to be cancelled. Another planned experiment was to hold the OBP biannually, with regional Parliaments in alternate years. It is certain this practice would have continued were it not for the occurrence of World War II.

Post World War II to the end of the OBP era

While the 15th Session in 1939 prorogued with full intention of holding a Session in 1940, the OBP did not meet during World War II. By war's end, the TUXIS movement had diminished and the National Boys' Work Board was in a weak state of affairs. It took the Boys' Work Secretary for the United Church, Rev. Robert McLaren, to revive the OBP. Through his efforts, the pre-war partners who sponsored Parliament (Protestant churches and YMCA) joined forces to establish a Parliamentary Convention in Vancouver to rebuild the organization. It is in this period where the United Church began to have its greatest influence on the OBP.

Delegates from around B.C. attended this conference, which expanded to include representatives of other boys' groups such as Scouts and the Boys' Brigade. This expansion of OBP's base encouraged the boys to debate expanding its membership to include all religious denominations and boys' groups in the OBP and truly become a representative Parliament. This movement this was effectively quashed by McLaren and other church leaders.

The 1940s were an unstable period for the OBP, with a "senate" (as its sponsoring organization was called) existing in name only and a weak premier who had to be replaced soon after the 16th Session. Key alumni and strong premiers with good cabinets carried the OBP through the late 1940s when a proper "Senate" and well founded Parliament were established.

It was during this period that the OBP was held in Vancouver. Only one session between 1945 and 1955 sat in the provincial legislature. Despite invitations from the government, organizers found it easier to plan sessions for the fledgling parliament in Vancouver, usually at the University of British Columbia in Union College (now the Vancouver School of Theology) or the U.B.C. Law School Building.

Transition to BCYP to present

Since the 5th Session of the OBP, resolutions had been introduced to admit girls as members. By the 1960s the Canadian Girls in Training efforts to participate in the Older Boys' Parliament were taken up by the media, spearheaded by the Victoria Times newspaper columnist Elizabeth Forbes. By the late 1960s the issue was being taken more seriously by the OBP, but there was strong opposition from the "Senate", which vetoed a resolution passed by the OBP in 1971 to allow girls to join. Some of the "Older Boys" who opposed admitting women went as far as to organize a separate "Older Girls' Parliament" to meet during the Easter break.

At this same time, there was a movement to expand the constituent membership of the Boys' Parliament beyond the select churches providing members at the time. For example, by the late 1960s, there had been Lutheran, Jewish, and Catholic members of the OBP. These boys qualified for membership in the OBP by associating themselves with youth groups connected to the sponsoring organizations of the OBP.

With the election of the New Democratic Party under Dave Barrett in the 1972 provincial election, pressure came from the provincial government to open the membership of the Boys' Parliament to all or face losing the use of the legislative buildings. Thus the B.C. Youth Parliament came into being for the 44th Session in 1974. The new organization was non-denominational and membership was open to boys and girls. The first female Premier was Susan Hunter of the 49th Session in 1977.

As a part of the re-organization in 1974, the Youth Parliament of B.C. Alumni Association was formed and acts as the BCYP's "Senate". The Senate ensures a session is held annually, reviews the legislation passed by the Youth Parliament, and when necessary assists the Youth Parliament in its community service programs and other events.

Developments in the 1980s saw Taylor Statten's dreams of 1916 come to fruition with the formation of the Youth Parliament of Canada in 1980. The Western Canada Youth Parliament (WCYP) was also formed during this time period. While the Youth Parliament of Canada has since collapsed, after seven sessions over ten years, the WCYP continues on a bi-annual basis.

A key event in BCYP history was the "Vernon Conference" held in 1985. The BCYP organized and hosted this youth conference to celebrate the United Nations International Year of the Youth. Members of the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta and the Junior Statesmen of America were invited to participate. This conference was a new concept for the BCYP. It provided the BCYP with the experience and inspiration to attempt new projects beyond community service projects and camps. More and larger projects, such as RYPs, were possible.

In the 1990s, with increasing costs of running BCYP's annual Session and holding Camp Phoenix, both the Senate and Youth Parliament became increasingly concerned with fundraising and the long-term financial health of the organization. Starting with a $5,000 bequest from Walter S. Owen, the Senate instituted a fundraising campaign between 1991 and 1993. The campaign raised $75,000 in donations from alumni, service organizations, and corporations. The Vancouver Foundation matched that amount, to establish the Walter S. Owen Fund.

At that same time, the BCYP undertook new fundraising initiatives, such as holding a dinner-dance and "Dream Auction" in 1992. The auction subsequently evolved through various formats, to become a major annual fundraising event for Youth Parliament.

House leaders and award winners

Session	Year	Premier	Leader of the Opposition	Deputy Speaker	Lieutenant Governor	Speaker	Clerk of the House	Donald Fergus Paynter Memorial Award for Leadership Recipient	Fisi Award for Service Recipient	Inspiring New Member Award Recipient	Bond Shield Recipient	Julie Jackson Alumni Society Award Recipient	Notes
1	Jan. 1924	Walter S. Owen			A.E. Roberts	Heber Noble
2	Dec. 1924	Walter S. Owen			F.A. Pauline	Aurthur Howarth	Charles G. Keen
3	1925	W.J. Bell			J.D. MacLean	Robert Wallace	N. Wattson Spinks
4	1926	Roger Foote			H.T.J. Coleman	Jack Shadbolt	Bert Berttie
5	1927	Leslie J. Wagner	Gordon Switzer		A.H. Manson	Archie Russell	J. Beattie MacLean
6	1928	Robert C. Rolston			S.F. Tolmie	Irvine Dawson	J. Beattie MacLean
7	1929	Irvine Dawson	Scott McLaren		W.C. Shelly	Dugald Morrison	Kenneth M. Beckett
8	1930	Jake Dieldal	Gordon Fields		S.L. Howe	Scott McLaren	Irvine Dawson
9	1931	Cameron Gorri	Gordon Fields	Arnold Simpson	L.B. Elliot	Charles McLeod	Irvine Dawson
10	1932	Jim Ferris	Robert McMaster	George L. Connell	Joshua Hinchcliffe	Charles McLeod	Robert T. Wallace
11	1933	Robert McMaster	John Windebank	A. Wright	George M. Weir	Lyle Turvey	R. Ormond Marrion
12	1934	John Windebank	Lyle Turvey		F.M. McPherson	Leonard Martin
13	1935	Bruce McLagan	Art Wright		David Leeming	Ernest Alexander
14	1936	Ernie Alexander	Jack Ewan		F.M. McPherson	Beresford Menagh	Roy Holmes
15	1938	Jack Ewan	Darrell Braidwood	Oscar Hanson	Walter Owen	William Edward McBride	Wordie Hetherington						In 1939, three Regional Youth Parliaments occurred in Vancouver, New Westminster, and the Kootenays. There was a short hiatus, until the Parliamentary Convention of 1945.
Vancouver	1939	Rob Crosby	Fred Downer		W.G. Murrin	Don Hay
New Westminster	1939	Penn McLeod	Allan Winslade		Judge Howie	Bob McMillan
Kootenays	1939	Albert Nicholas	Harold Mayo		Frank Putnam	Ted McBride
PARLIAMENTARY CONVENTION	1945
16	1946	Archie Macaulay	Oliver Howard	Grant Bracewell	N.A.M. MacKenzie/G.F. Curtis	Charles McLeod	Oliver Howard
17	1947	Ray Woollam	Oliver Howard	Lloyd Schoop	N.A.M. MacKenzie/G.F. Curtis	Grant Bracewell	Jack Ewen
18	1948	Oliver Howard	Robert Wallace		G.F. Curtis	Thomas Bulman	Rayburn McColl
19	1949	Robert Wallace	William Neen		Walter H. Mulligan	Robert Brydon	Oliver Howard
20	1950	William Neen	George Searcy		H.C. Green	Robert Brydon	Oliver Howard
21	1951	R. Bruce Bennett	Albert Plant		Walter H. Mulligan	Howard McDiarmid	William Neen
22	1952	Albert Plant	Lyle Robertson		Sherwood Lett	Howard McDiarmid	J. Robert Brydon
23	1953	Howard McDiarmid	Terrance Westgate		Angus MacInnis	Lyle Robertson	Maurice D. Copithorne
24	1954	Terrance Westgate	Douglas Norman	John Wright	Reg. T. Rose	Ken Lamb	J. Robert Brydon
25	1955	Douglas Norman	Derek Fraser		William J. Bell	Ken Lamb	J. Hadden Gregory						After a ten-year absence (with one exception), the O.B.P.B.C. returns to holding its annual session in the Parliament Buildings in Victoria.
26	1956	Douglas Norman	Derek Fraser	Donald Robertson	Walter Owen	John Wright	G.E. Bonney
27	1957	Peter Rolston	Donald Robertson	Alister Fraser	Willard Ireland	John Goodwin	J.H. Wright
28	1958	Donald Robertson	John Goodwin	Barry Goodwin	E.N.C. McAmmond	Stannard Toole	G.E. Bonney						Observer Programme created.
29	1959	Michael Sinclair	William MacDonald	Frank Shoemaker	Dean B.W. Whitlow	Barry Goodwin	Gordon MacGillvray
30	1960	William MacDonald	Barry Goodwin	John Curtis	M.D. Young	Frank Shoemaker	Gordon MacGillvray
31	1961	Kenneth Jensen	Rick Higgs	Steve Hetherington	M.D. Young	John Curtis	Harry Ratclift
32	1962	Scott Van Alstine	Rick Higgs	Ed Nicholson	William J. Rose	Steve Heaterington	Frank Shoemaker
33	1963	Rick Higgs	Currie Grass		W.S. Taylor	Ed Nicholson	Blair Dunbar				Scott Van Alstine
34	1964	Currie Grass	Ed Nicholson	Donald Paynter	William Owen	David Wallace	Frank Shoemaker				John Morton
35	1965	John Morton	Brian Smith	Jim Cooke	Harry Lennox	Donald F. Paynter					Ed O'Brian
36	1966	Donald Paynter	Cam Ellis	John Morton	J.H. Allen	James Cook	Richard Miller				Robert McDermid
37	1967	Edward O'Brien	Craig Rothwell	Dennis Hutton	Willard E. Ireland	Joseph Paynter	John Morton				Jim Mann		Camp Phoenix created.
38	1968	Joseph Paynter	James Lane	Robert LaRoy	E.M. Nichols	James Mann	Edward Jones				Ian MacKenzie
39	1969	Robin Richardson	James W. Mann	Gordon Taylor	Walter S. Owen	Cyril Chalk	Joseph Paynter	James W. Mann
40	1970	Gordon Taylor	Robert Hall	David L. North	R. Victor Henning	Currie Grass					Michael Hare
41	1971	David North	Mark Mitchell	David MacLeod	Charles M. MacLeod	G. Leigh Harrison	Bill Saffin	George E.H. Cadman			Allan Bryce
42	1972	George Cadman	Don MacLeod	Michael Hare	Dugald J. Morrison	Cyril Chalk	Ian MacLeod	Tom Noort			Bob Laing
43	1973	Robert Weston	Alan Wing	Donald MacLeod	E.K. DeBeck	Robin Richardson	Ian MacLeod	Andy Stark			Bob Laing		Last session as the "Older Boys' Parliament" and last year for the Observers Programme.
44	1974	Alan Wing	Kent Campbell	Robert Slade	Elizabeth Forbes	Cyril Chalk	Ian MacLeod				Dave Wilson		First session as the "B.C. Youth Parliament". Female members were admitted for the first time; as well, the organization became non-denominational and a primarily secular organization.
45	1975	Alan Wing	Dave Lovely	Steven Howell	Howard E. Petch	James Mann	Ian MacLeod	Christine Eidt			Christine Eidt
47[1]	1976	Dave Wilson	Tom Barichello	Axel Shoeber	Mrs. (Shirley) W.S. Owen	Robert Weston	Ian MacLeod				Axel Schoeber, Karen Hawkins
49[2]	1977	Susan Hunter	Chamkaur Cheema	Kevin Paul	Maurice Young	Steve Howell	Alan Wing				Duncan Ferguson		First session with a female Premier.
50	1978	John Moonen	Kevin Paul	Duncan Ferguson	Mrs. (Nancy) H.P Bell-Irving	Cyril Chalk	Dave Lovely				Duncan Ferguson
51	1979	Kevin Wells	Anthony Gurr	Gordon Paul	Dr. G. Scott Wallace	George Cadman	Dave Lovely	Linda Reid			Ralph Wong
52	1980	Linda Reid	David Martin	Carolyn Craven	Albert E. King	George Cadman	Stephen Howell				Ralph Wong
53	1981	David Martin	Daniel W. Burnett	Margaret Gillatt	Vivian Shoemaker	Robert Weston	Christine Eidt	James Fraser			Sarah Sutherland
54	1982	James Fraser	Sharon Sutherland	Carin Holroyd	James Mann	Steve Howell	Roger Hodgins	Carin Holroyd			Sarah Hopper		First session with a female Leader of the Opposition.
55	1983	Colin Hanson	Tom Fettor	Chris McElroy	Charles Barber	Linda Reid	Maggie Gillatt				Cathy Lew		First session with a woman serving as Speaker.
56	1984	Susan Dent	H. William Veenstra	Peggy Kemp	Frank Shoemaker	Daniel W. Burnett	Colin Hanson				Carin Holroyd
57	1985	H. William Veenstra	Paul Schwartz	Sarah Bonner	Allan MacKinnon	Dave Wilson	Daniel Burnett	Karen Sommer			Bruce Hallsor
58	1986	Catherine Birch	Kenneth Smith	Brenda McGuire	J. Michael Roberts	Chris McElroy	Daniel Burnett				Bruce Hallsor
59	1987	R. Bruce Hallsor	Johann Beda	Ian Martin	J. Michael Roberts	Colin Hanson	Susan Dent	Dean Crawford			Sharon Pratt
60	1988	Sean D. Vanderfluit	Dean Crawford	Bruce Hallsor	Richard Nicol	Susan Veenstra (née Dent)	Bill Veenstra	Monica McParland			Monica McParland, Sharon Pratt
61	1989	Dean A. Crawford	David R. Baxter	Graham Cove	Hubert Beyer	H. William Veenstra	Susan Veenstra (née Dent)				Sharon Pratt
62	1990	Kenneth A. Donohue	Jason K. Hebert	George Nast	Stuart Hodgson	Robert K. MacDonald	Geoffrey J. Glave				Sharon Hallsor (née Pratt)
63	1991	Erin J. Lemon	George M. McWhinnie	Joel Freedman	Stephen Owen	James Fraser	Geoffrey J. Glave		Lara C. Rooke		Sean Sookochoff, Steve Wellburn
64	1992	Jonathan N.A. Wand	Elisabeth Van Assum	L. Andrew Olsen	Susan Brice	Sean D. Vanderfluit	Rhonda L. Vanderfluit	Patricia Lang, Drew Olsen	Claire Gilbert		Jason Herbert
65	1993	Kerry L. Simmons	Chilwin C. Cheng	Victor Tuomi	J. Parker MacCarthy	Sharon M.E. Hallsor (née Pratt)	Rhonda L. Herbert (née Vanderfluit)		Craig Bell		Cynthia Johansen
66[3]	1994	Solomon Wong	Karen Lee	Melanie Stapleton	Val J. Anderson	R. Bruce E. Hallsor	Jason K. Herbert		Trinh Pham		Allan Ng
67	1995	Peter Stevens	Karin Yeung	Christina Lunelli	Jim Nielsen	L. Andrew Olsen	Kerry L. Simmon	Solomon Wong	Chantal Broughton		Trinh Pham
68	1996	Karin Yeung	Shane Thomas	Mark Ian Karjaluoto	Linda Reid	Russell S. Brown	Craig Bell	Trinh Pham	Trevor Franklin		Mark Ian Karjaluoto
69	1997	Sang-Kiet Ly	Shannon Salter	Jenn Jay	Vaughn Palmer	Victor Tuomi	Beatrice McCutcheon, Shane Thomas		Ryan Stewart	Negin Mirriahi	Jack Tsai
70	1998	Katie Longworth	Ryan K. Stewart	Kristi V.M. Cave	Hugh Curtis	Chilwin C. Cheng	Audrey Wang	Miranda Lam	Sarah Buydens	Jeff Town	Jeff Town
71	1999	Robyn Marshall	Jocelyn R. Fung	Miranda Lam	Les Leyne	Solomon Wong	Audrey Wang	Aniz Alani		Susie da Silva	Jeff Town		First session with all three house leader positions held by women.
72	2000	Negin Mirriahi	Sam Schechter	Paul Browning	Sue Founier	Dean Crawford	Sang-Kiet Ly	Robyn Marshall	Michelle Babiuk, Lindsay McCray	Rachelle Yong	Yuk-Sing Cheng
73	2001	Aniz Alani	Gerald Taft	Swithin D'Souza	Daniel W. Burnett	Rhonda L. Vanderfluit	Ashley Morton	Susie da Silva	Susie da Silva	Julia Lockhart	Katrina Wang
74	2002	Chris Lam	Aniz Alani	Sanyee Chen	Art Cowie	Jason K. Herbert	Rhonda L. Vanderfluit	Julia K. Lockhart	Nicole Stewart	Caitlin Tom	Jack Diep
75	2003	Yuk-Sing Cheng	Kristin Fung	Danica Wong	Elizabeth Rowles Scott	Sang-Kiet Ly	Alan C.L. Ip	Aniz Alani	Emilie-Anne Paul	Elizabeth Tribe	William Chow
76	2004	Dorothy Wong	Victor Mung	Dora E. Turje	Ralph Hembruff	Mark Ian Karjaluoto	Alan C.L. Ip	Dora E. Turje	Dustin Fuhs	Nitsa Docolas	Julia Lockhart
77	2005	Emilie-Anne Paul	Edward Wang	Julia K. Lockhart	Ida Chong	Swithin D'Souza	Aniz Alani	Emilie-Anne Paul	Carley Kennedy	Penelope Chua	Shazan Jiwa
78	2006	Travis Wong	Jason Liu	Emilie-Anne Paul	Herb Leroy	Alan Ip	Dorothy Wang	Julia K. Lockhart	Laurel Hogg	Susie Bowles	Julia Lockhart
79	2007	Laurel Hogg	Penny Chua	Jeremy McElroy	May Lou-Poy	Kerry L. Simmon	Dora Turje		Tyler Allison	Rosie Pidcock	Emilie-Anne Paul
80	2008	Tyler Allison	Jeremy McElroy	Paula Burrows	Robert Wicks	Chris McElroy	Dora Turje		Sasa Pudar	Gordon Hall	Alden Chow
81	2009	Sasa Pudar	Susie Bowles	Oriana Camporese	William Wellburn	Jason K. Herbert	Victor Mung		Karen Ratchford	Michael Thejomayen	Alden Chow
82	2010	Karen Ratchford	Josh Hall	Susie Bowles	Charley Beresford	Chris McElroy	Danica Wong		Emily Gage	MIchael McDonald	Jeff Wilson
83	2011	Jessica McElroy	Ryan Wei	Emily Gage	Linda Reid	Dora Turje	Karen Ratchford			Nicole Berthelot	Susie Bowles
84	2012	Sarah O'Connor	Alexandra Dickson	Ambrose Yung	Ida Chong	Aniz Alani	Danica Wong		Alexandra Dickson	Madeline Gallard	Fatima Al-Fahim	Linda Reid, Kerry Simmons
85	2013	Ambrose Yung	Nathan How	Darya Ali	Linda Reid	Gavin Hoekstra	Danica Wong	Ambrose Yung	Nathan How	Mackenzie Lockhart, Tony Zhao	Rachael Vey	Sarah Bonner
86	2014	Darya Ali	Jason Zhou	Nathan How	Linda Reid	Jenn Jay	Danica Wong	Darya Ali	Tony Zhou	Morgan Weir	Ambrose Yung	Dan Burnett
87	2015	Nathan How	Sky Losier	Sisi Zhou	Kerry L. Simmons	Jeremy McElroy	Dora Turje		Chris Coulson	Sheridan Hawse	Jacob Noseworthy	Rhonda Vanderfluit
88	2016	Chris Coulson	Sheridan Hawse	Angus Lockhart	Susan Hunter	Linda Reid	Ambrose Yung		Callista Ryan	Emily Proskiw, Victoria Sukra	Gordon Mason	Jim Mann
89	2017	Sky Losier	Callista Ryan	Sheridan Hawse	Darryl Plecas	James Fraser	Ambrose Yung	Sky Losier	Brendan Liaw	Sophie Sacilotto	Felix Soheili	Jenn Jay
90	2018	Sheridan Hawse	Alex Fraser	Brendan Liaw	Richard Zussman	Dora Turje	Ambrose Yung		Victoria Ritchie	Kishoore Ramanathan	Angus Lockhart	Julie Jackson
91	2019	Ranil Prasad	Rhett Mutschke	Semiah Marquard	Kate Ryan-Lloyd	Artour Sogomonian	Ambrose Yung		Jessana Akehurst	James Krause	Adriana Thom
92	2020	Adriana Thom	Justin Kulik	Joseph Chien	Bonnie Henry	Artour Sogomonian	Ambrose Yung		Ranil Prasad, Kishoore Ramanathan	Aislinn Dressler	Acacia Lee	Dora Turje	Session occurred on-line by videoconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
93	2021	Kishoore Ramanathan	Karina Valcke-Becket	Amelia Brooker
Session	Year	Premier	Leader of the Opposition	Deputy Speaker	Lieutenant Governor	Speaker	Clerk of the House	Donald Fergus Paynter Memorial Award for Leadership Recipient	Fisi Award for Service Recipient	Inspiring New Member Award Recipient	Bond Shield Recipient	Julie Jackson Alumni Society Award Recipient	Notes

Notable Alumni

• Linda Bauld, Professor at the University of Edinburgh
• Robert Bonner, Attorney General of British Columbia (1952-1968)
• Russell Brown, Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
• Daniel Burnett, QC, Media Lawyer
• Susana da Silva, CBC Video Journalist
• Jack Davis, politician
• Stephen Doughty, Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom for Cardiff South and Penarth
• Allan Fotheringham, news reporter and journalist
• Lloyd McKenzie, Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia (1974-1993); Information Officer for the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (1993-2003)
• Monica McParland, Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia
• Jim Mann, Dementia activist, 2020 UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws recipient[5]
• Eric Nicol, writer
• Walter Stewart Owen, 22nd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
• Linda Reid, 37th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
• Jack Shadbolt, artist
• Kerry L. Simmons, QC, Past National President, Canadian Bar Association
• Hugh William Veenstra, Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia[6]
• Ray Williston, Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (1953–1972)

See also

• Western Canada Youth Parliament
• Youth Parliament of Canada/Parlement jeunesse du Canada
• Walter Stewart Owen, the first Premier of the TUXIS and Older Boys' Parliament of British Columbia and later Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
• History of Youth Work

References

1. The Sessions held in 1976 and 1977 were numbered 47th and 49th respectively, in order to compensate for the regional parliaments held in 1939 and for the Parliamentary Convention held in 1945.
2. The Sessions held in 1976 and 1977 were numbered 47th and 49th respectively, in order to compensate for the regional parliaments held in 1939 and for the Parliamentary Convention held in 1945.
3. Referred to as "66th Parliament" as of January 1, 1995.
4. Valerie Leung (2020-12-27). "B.C. Youth Parliament takes to virtual gathering, debate plans persist". Richmond News. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
5. https://graduation.ubc.ca/event/honorary-degrees/2020-honorary-degree-recipients/
6. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-announces-a-judicial-appointment-in-the-province-of-british-columbia-862062313.html

• Edwards, Charles A.M. "Taylor Statten: A Biography". Ryerson Press, 1960.
• The Archives of the British Columbia Youth Parliament 1997 Index (University of British Columbia - Special Collections)

External links

• British Columbia Youth Parliament