Yukon high schoolers are MLAs for a day

MLAs in the Yukon Legislative Assembly looked a little shorter — and younger — on Friday.

After an eight-year hiatus, the youth parliament was back.

Twenty-two high school students took part in a model parliament where they prepared members' statements, took part in question period, debated motions and even took part in a media scrum.

"I think it's really important for kids to understand the whole process," said Grade 11 student Sheridan Curteanu.

"When you're 18, you have that power, that opportunity to vote. I think it's really important that kids do that. But you have to feel comfortable in that environment," she said.

Curteanu also served as premier of the imagined minority government.

"It's a little nerve-wracking ... it feels like a lot of responsibility," she said.

Meet the Progressive Auroras, United Vanier and ADG

There were no Liberals, Yukon Party or NDP in the model parliament. They were replaced by three fictitious parties.

The Progressive Aurora Party — Curteanu's party — was made up of students from F.H. Collins Secondary School in Whitehorse, St. Elias School in Haines Junction and the Ross River School.

The Official Opposition was the United Vanier Party, with students from Vanier Catholic Secondary School in Whitehorse. The third party was the ADG Party from Porter Creek Secondary in Whitehorse.

With 22 students and only 19 actual ridings in Yukon, three imaginary ridings were created — Swift River, Eagle Plains and Dalton Trail.

Annie Li, a Grade 9 student, member for Dalton Trail and leader of the ADG, has her sights set on being a politician.

It wasn't her first time in the Legislature. She is usually a page — but on Friday the roles were reversed and MLAs served as pages.

"We watch the MLAs arguing, and it's just sometimes frustrating because all they do is ask the same question over and over again. And never answer the question," Li said.

"And although we find it annoying, I feel like many of us will be doing the same thing," she said.

Heather Mislang, a Grade 9 student and leader of the Official Opposition, says it's best to learn "as much as you can in your youth years."

"So I guess taking this opportunity and knowing that it would benefit me and my learning sparked me to come here," she said.

Students carried out the usual duties of MLAs during a legislative sitting, including question period, where topics ranged from qualifications for substitute teachers, to balancing environmental protection and economic development, to including Indigenous content in curriculum.

The real-life Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Nils Clarke, oversaw the proceedings. He says it took about 15 months of planning.

"I think our MLAs, and I and the Legislative Assembly staff, are absolutely blown away by the quality, the thoughtfulness, by the issues the youth parliamentarians have brought to the chamber," said Clarke.