by Duncan Poulsen
Everyone has an opinion about the government. Some Canadians think that our government works well and is for the good of all while others think that government positions are merely a tax grabber; however, most people’s views of the government lie somewhere between these two extremes. Although everyone has an opinion, how many people actually know even a small fraction of what it is like to be part of the government? I do. Earlier this year when I was chosen to attend Mr. Speaker’s “MLA For a Day” program I got a small glimpse into our government. I applied by writing a short essay and to my great pleasure I was chosen to represent our riding. Many other High School students were also chosen to represent their constituency ridings, some ridings, such as ours, even had two representatives. The MLA For a Day trip was very exciting and educational for me. Some of what I learned during these two days includes the procedure to pass a law, the history of the Legislative Assembly and the proper method for a debate and addressing Mr. Speaker as well as, the obvious, what the life of an MLA is like. Before my time at the Legislature I didn’t realise how little I knew about our government. Time flew by as we had a banquet with Legion members and our MLAs, toured the Legislative building, watched a lively question period, asked Mr. Speaker some questions, had our picture taken with our MLA, talked with four former MLAs, had the opportunity to visit our MLA’s office to discover what it is like to be an MLA and lastly participated in a debate, which was located in the chamber. My favorite part was most definitely the debate. I immensely enjoy debating, so the opportunity to have a real debate in the chamber was amazing. The debate was very fast paced and both sides had very good points. The verbal sparring was fun; and I learned lots through it; but not about MLAs, their lives or about the government.
Although my favorite was the debate, I also greatly enjoyed the time spent at the Annex. This time was the most educational part of my trip. Having a time when the MLAs didn’t have to worry about what the press might say about their thought and feelings was great. The media-free time enabled us to get honest answers for our questions, which was refreshing. Another reason I enjoyed the visit was because I got to know a little more about Mr. Rowe as a professional and as a person. After being with Mr. Rowe and the other MLAs I saw that although government officials may have a higher income than most, they do not live an easy life. They must continually make many sacrifices to serve the general populace. MLAs and other government personal have to constantly watch what they say and are extremely busy, always rushing to do many different things and often must sacrifice time with their families. Having been educated about the demanding lifestyle that the MLAs live, I think that they do an amazing job!
My family and I often talk about the government and its issues; but after experiencing a fraction of what the MLAs go though I now have a different take on things. I encourage people to abstain from judging the government before they have experienced something similar. Do a little research to find out more regarding the government to more fully understand how it works. My talk with many different MLAs also revealed that they will do what the constituents want over their own personal feelings. In light of this I think it is time to let them know what we think about the issues that affect us. This is the only government we have and I believe that it is time to make sure that it is the kind of government that best serves us. The “MLA For a Day” program was a truly amazing, educational experience. It changed my view of the government and I highly encourage any High School students, even those who aren’t interested in politics, to apply and plan to attend next year’s program. It’s free and really is a once in a life-time learning experience.