Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 24/99) - When Legislative Speaker Sam Gargan announced last week's Youth Parliament in the assembly he joked, "I hope they don't pick up any of our bad habits."

He needn't have worried. Observers and participants praised the first territory-wide Youth Parliament held in the capital last week.

"I found the young students were getting right into territorial politics," said North Slave MLA James Rabesca. "They're young and energetic, and I think they did really well and know what issues they want their MLAs to work on."

The goal of the parliament was to raise awareness of the jobs MLAs do, of the issues affecting the NWT and of the concerns held by communities across the territory.

One student from each of the territory's 14 ridings was selected to represent their MLA at the parliament, and two additional students were chosen to play the role of the legislature's clerks -- so that, for example, Fort Simpson's Lana Nahanni filled the shoes of Premier Jim Antoine and Wanda Grandejambe from Fort Good Hope tackled Stephen Kakfwi's job.

But before they got down to the business of getting to know their new jobs, the young parliamentarians got down to business of getting to know one another. Teams of teens and MLAs participated in an ice-breaking "Polaroid" competition Monday night -- taking pictures of themselves doing things like pointing out their hometowns on a map, wearing Speaker Gargan's jacket, tie and cowboy boots or using their bodies to spell out NWT.

"Not only was it an ice-breaker, but it was educational -- because a lot of people were asking what is the official tree of the Northwest Territories, what is the official bird and where everyone came from," said Ben Nind, the speaker's executive assistant and one of the parliament organizers.

Like most of the parliamentarians, 16-year-old Louis de Klerk found himself in Yellowknife "because I'm a good student" and because his teachers at Samuel Hearne Secondary School nominated him.

"I didn't realize how much work was involved," said de Klerk, who appropriately enough was serving as clerk. "But they've been leading me through it. They've already given me a big book of rules."

Many of the "MLAs" also did some pre-assembly preparation with the help of their home communities and schools.

Hay River's Clinton Unka said he'd polled his peers at Diamond Jenness High School over what issues concerned them, and said he'd seek an extra $2 million in education funding.

Fort Smith's Shelly Lemon, 17, was playing Michael Miltenberger and said she attended the education minister's recent constituency meeting. She said on Tuesday that she feared she might be in for some of the grilling over just this issue.

"I'm a little nervous because I heard I'll be getting a lot of questions," she said.

But Lemon, a member of the Western Arctic Leadership Program, remained upbeat.

"I find it exciting because I've never taken on the role of an MLA before and it's all so new," she said.

Other "MLAs" took it as an opportunity to raise regional issues. Jackie Pascal said she would talk about the need for a new gymnasium in Fort McPherson while "Transportation Minister" Melanie Kimiksana from Holman was pushing for community development.

The students certainly appeared to slide into their new roles comfortably. With the MLA mentors seated in the public gallery Thursday, the young parliamentarians put into practice their new-found expertise.

The "members" and "ministers" debated bills on topics ranging from education to bicycle helmets, passed a motion that more Youth Parliaments take place and thumped their desks in approval.

"Premier" Nahanni gave the parliament a big thumb's up.

"It really felt good. I really felt like a minister," she said, all smiles after Thursday's adjournment. "There weren't a lot of surprises for me because I knew the subjects people were talking about -- it must be natural."

"It was just fun watching them -- they reminded me so much of us," said Jane Groenwegen, Hay River's MLA. "I had a chance to talk to them and said even at their age they should be running for student council and getting involved in their communities."

In helping close Thursday's session, Clerk David Hamilton hinted the students might one day be running for more than simply student council.

"The members are thankful you're not of voting age," he said, "because they know that if you actually wanted to get elected, you'd give them a good run for their money."