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.
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.
Read more about this topic: British Columbia Youth Parliament
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