Why a National Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Fair Vote Visits Saskatchewan Youth Parliament

The Saskatchewan Youth Parliament is a non-partisan organization of young people that meets to discuss and debate political and social issues. Members learn about the mechanics of government, such as parliamentary procedure, decision making, and the rules of debate in a parliamentary democracy. Additionally, members are exposed to a variety of viewpoints from youth from around Saskatchewan.

At its annual Christmas session, Youth Parliament members are given the privilege of debating at the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, in the same seats as the real Members of the Legislative Assembly.

The Saskatchewan Youth Parliament is run for youth by youth and by a cabinet elected at the Annual Christmas Session each year. Cabinet does everything from planning the events, to finances and communications.

During the Christmas session Fair Vote Saskatchewan was invited to talk to the group over lunch about Fair Vote Canada, our Saskatchewan Chapter and the reasons that Proportional Representation provided a much more fair and equal representation that the existing first past the post system

Larissa Shasko, a member of Fair Vote and a former member of the Saskatchewan Chapter executive spoke to the group and fielded questions. The presentation was very well received and discussion that followed made it clear that Larissa challenged their notions about the fairness of the existing system and the need for electoral reform.