1) “Is it okay to really not be familiar with the Parliamentary process?”
Absolutely! In addition to being Premier, I double as the Attorney General and will be guiding the house through the Parliamentary process. We’ll also be releasing some fun Parliamentary education materials on the blog shortly, so be sure to refresh this page on Wednesdays and Sundays!
2) “As a new member, I'm kinda nervous about speaking a lot! How much public speaking would we have to do in general?”
This is one of the most common questions we get, and for a very good reason! Public speaking is tough, especially with the BC Legislature being your forum, with confused tourists sitting in the public viewing gallery! You will only be forced to speak once on the first day during the Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Traditionally, this was a way for the monarch to explain the reasons why Parliament had been summoned. As we moved towards the monarch being more of a figurehead than a dictator, the tradition was retained, but the monarch would instead explain the legislative plans of the government in power at the time. This speech is called the “Speech from the Throne”. Thus, the Reply to the Speech from the Throne is a response to the government’s plans. In BCYP, we do things a little differently! This speech is how we introduce ourselves in the chamber. The catch is that 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.
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, hobbies, etc)
Beyond this thirty second speech in which you explain who you are, you won’t be forced to speak.
3) "Should we prepare questions and such for the legislation that will be proposed this year?"
Fantastic question! You'll be receiving Cabinet's proposed legislation next week, and you'll definitely benefit from reading it critically and writing down any questions that you have. However, you definitely don't need to prepare questions in advance. I can almost guarantee that you'll think of questions and points of debate in the chamber as we begin to progress through the legislation together. Nobody will force you to speak in the chamber after your first speech. Don’t sweat it!
Fun fact: I (Ranil) was on Shadow Cabinet (and thus signed up to oppose legislation from the opposition benches) and didn't prepare any questions in advance.
4) “What am I allowed to bring inside the legislature?”
Another great question. For you, perhaps the most relevant thing you aren’t allowed to bring in the building is your cup of coffee. I’m not sure why this rule exists, but make sure that you chug your beverage before you head inside. You don’t have to go through the airport style security that the rest of the public does, but please make sure that you aren’t carrying anything illegal or illogical inside the building.
Inside the actual chamber, shoe polish is banned, as it can scuff up the beautiful red carpet. You are also not allowed to eat and drink, including gum, water, or other beverages. There is a water station in the hallway, but make sure that you don’t take your cup inside with you! Most importantly, there are no electronics allowed in the chamber. Turn your cellphone off, and make sure that your laptop, tablet, or anything else electronic that you have is kept at the hotel. Don’t bring it if you’ll be sad you lose it.