If you’re a curious new member, you’re probably wondering what your first day at BCYP will be like. You’ll get a calendar when we arrive at the Legislature, but here’s a quick summary of what you can expect to happen on December 27th. Feel free to show your parents — they’re probably interested as well!
8:45 AM — Lower Mainland members and Interior billets meet at Pacific Central Station
Soon after, the coach buses will leave and we’ll be on our way to Session!
Key to Success: Wear your Parliamentary attire in the morning, since there will be no time to change at the hotel before our first sitting inside the Legislature. Pacific Central Station is within walking distance to the Main Street - Science World Skytrain Station, and has a Starbucks nearby for last second caffeination.
Additional Key to Success: Don’t make eye contact with the geese.
10:15 AM — Members who find it easier to travel to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal meet up with the BCYP chaperone and walk onto the ferry
Key to Success: If you see young people wearing suits, that’s probably the BCYP contingent! Don’t be afraid to ask.
11:00 AM — The coach bus from Pacific Central Station drives onto the ferry on its way to Victoria
Key to Success: Enjoy the free time on the ferry to meet your fellow parliamentarians, grab some food, relax and rest up in preparation for the week ahead! We’ll be on the ferry during lunch, so make sure that you either buy something on the ferry, or bring a packed lunch!
12:45 PM — Members from the Island arrive at the Quality Inn Hotel
Key to Success: Arrive in Parliamentary dress, and don’t be late! Vancouver Islanders sometimes have the chance to check in earlier to avoid the long line, so take advantage of it!
1:00 PM — Members arrive at the hotel, and Island members arrive as well. Each member gets their keys and takes their stuff to their room (there is no time to get changed here!)
Key to Success: There are a lot of members to process - be patient, but efficient, and take the extra time to get to know the folks around you.
2:00 PM — Members are welcomed to the legislature
When we arrive at the legislature, we first receive a tour around the building, and a safety speech that introduces key sessional and supervisory figures, outlines BCYP’s rules, and provides information for emergency situations.
Key to Success: People are still working at the legislative precinct while we’re there for Session, so don’t be too loud - we want them to like us!
3:30 PM — Our first sitting begins!
The first sitting mostly involves the formal opening ceremony, including all BCYP members signing an oath, and the election of a Speaker.
Key to Success: The script for the ceremony is written out in your Standing Orders, starting on page 16.
6:00 PM — Dinner time!
Some of the dinners at Session are arranged by the Minister of Sessional Affairs, and some are free choice. On the first night, the dinner is arranged, and each member will be eating with their mentor or mentee — it’s a great chance to catch up after a busy first day and ask any questions that have come up.
7:30 PM — Our second sitting!
For our second sitting, Opening Ceremonies are all over, and we start debate. The first debate in the House isn’t really a debate at all — in response to the Throne Speech, each member rises and introduces themselves to the House in lieu of debate.
The Catch: The reply to the Throne Speech is also a competition - since each member must rise to introduce themselves, the Government and Opposition sides of the House race each other to see who can have all their members introduced first.
An Additional Catch: The rules of debate do not allow you to use your name, or the names of anyone else in the house! Refer to people by their title (“The Premier”), or their constituency (“The Member for Vancouver-Point Grey”) if they don’t have a title.
Key to Success: For those of you who don’t know what to say, there’s an easy format that works 100% of the time consisting of:
Where you’re from in BC
What you’re up to (school, work, etc)
What you do in your spare time (clubs, sports, interests, etc)
10:00 PM — Evening Activity: Icebreakers
Key to Success: Evening activities are optional, but are strongly encouraged. Session can get intense, and these evening activities can sometimes just make a long day even longer. So, feel free to take the evening to take care of yourself — read a good book or go to sleep early. Self-care is a MAJOR key to success. But, if you feel up to it, I highly encourage attending evening activities. It’s when you best get to know people and when you see people outside of the context of debate. At the end of the day, you do you.
1:00AM — Curfew for minors!
If you are under 19 years of age, by 1:00AM you must have checked in with the supervisors in the common room on the first floor. You can check in at any time during the evening, but once in you cannot leave the hotel again until the next morning.
Key to Success: Sleep. Please. It’s good for you.
Have any further questions about our first day? Feel free to send me an email at premier@bcyp.org, or use our anonymous questions asking tool in the “Members Only” section of our website. Happy travelling!
Yours in Parliament,
Ranil Prasad