page_title: Ontario Youth Parliament
section_title: Annual sessions
hierarchical_section_title: Ontario Youth Parliament / Organization / Annual sessions
caption_attribution_description: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work to remix – to adapt the work Under the following conditions: attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. share alike – If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same or compatible license as the original. Group photo for Ontario Youth Parliament 2013
context_page_description: The Ontario Youth Parliament, formerly the Ontario Older Boys' Parliament, is one of a number of provincial youth model parliaments across Canada. Each year, the organization holds a four-day debate conference on Family Day weekend for youth ages 14 to 21 from Ontario, Canada. The organization has roots within the United Church of Canada dating back to 1907. The first session of the Older Boys' Parliament met in the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park in Toronto in January 1925. As a result, the OYP, as successor to the Older Boys' Parliament, is one of the oldest youth parliaments in Canada. Gordon Lapp of Brighton served as the first Premier.
  In 1969, the Older Boys' Parliament was succeeded by the OYP and is now a non-denominational Christian-based organization that is open to participants of all faiths. It combines components of parliament-style debate, social and leadership development activities and exploration of spirituality. The debate is modeled after the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, with mock legislation written by members of the youth cabinet on current issues facing youth in Canada.
context_section_description: Ontario Youth Parliament is held each year from Friday to Monday on the Family Day weekend in February. Sessions are open to the public.
  The structure of OYP matches that of constitutional tradition of the House of Commons, with a government, opposition, speaker and pages. The parliament is traditionally opened by a person acting as lieutenant-governor, a role that has been played by figures such as Moderator Robert McClure and Governor General Roland Michener.
  Legislation is prepared throughout the year by the cabinet, usually centred around topics relevant to young people. Delegates at OYP have debated controversial political issues such as gay rights, environmental regulations and aboriginal autonomy. At the session, bills are presented and debated at several different sittings throughout the weekend. OYP is nonpartisan, which means that each delegate can express their opinion and vote freely. At the end of each debate, all delegates vote on whether the legislation should be passed or defeated. Any legislation passed by the majority is sent to the appropriate government offices in Toronto and Ottawa.
caption: Group photo for Ontario Youth Parliament 2013
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