A Highpoint Community School student has been selected to serve as a legislative page at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in Toronto!
During her term of duty, Bella-Sitara Singh Soares will serve as a messenger on the floor of the Legislative Chamber, meet key parliamentary figures, and learn about Ontario’s parliamentary system of government. The term of duty may last from one to five weeks, depending on the parliamentary session.
Each legislative page earned their spot in the program by submitting an application that included an essay outlining their achievements, involvements, and suitability for the program. Pages must study and learn the faces, names, and locations of the 107 MPPs before arriving at Queen’s Park for their first day. Legislative pages selected from across the province come together in Toronto, develop long lasting friendships, and meet fellow students with similar interests as they participate in this unique educational program.
During a typical day, pages arrive at Queen’s Park at approximately 8:00 a.m., dress in their uniforms, and then prepare the Legislative Chamber for the morning’s debates. As the day progresses, they are involved in a number of activities, including the delivery of messages and water for the MPPs in the Chamber, taking classes in legislative process and mathematics, and meeting with key legislative players, such as the party leaders and Speaker of the House.
The Legislative Page Program is open to students in Grades 7 and 8 who are interested in current affairs, have an academic average of 80 percent or higher, and get along well with their peers and adults. Applications for the program are accepted twice each year, by November 15 and June 15. Grade 7 students are eligible for both occasions, while those in Grade 8 may apply by the November deadline.
For additional information regarding the Legislative Page’s involvement in this program, please contact the Legislative Page Program at 416-325-7457 or at
[email protected].
Source: Legislative Page Program, Parliamentary Protocol and Public Relations Branch