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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A whole new world has opened up for Alexander Smith.

Spending a week as an MLA, the 15-year-old Grade 9 student at St. Patrick's High School, now understands how his government works - and what kinds of decisions are made on his behalf.

Dana Harris, representing Weledeh, and Taylor Raciborski, representing Yellowknife South, prepare notes for a debate in youth parliament April 23. - April Robinson/NNSL photo

"It gave me an opportunity of a lifetime," said Smith, who represented Great Slave.

"It helped me understand consensus government - and what politics is all about." Smith was one of 17 students from across NWT who gathered in Yellowknife for a week as they drafted statements and motions, and eventually debated them by week's end. Two seats - Nanukput and the Beaufort-Delta - were not represented.

"They just fill us up with information," said Dana Harris, a 15-year-old student from Sir John Franklin School. She said she's not sure yet if she wants to become a politician, but it was good meeting students from across the territory.

"We learned about different problems in the communities," she said. "I guess we have a lot of the same interests."

Students stayed at Chateau Nova Hotel, and participated in activities such as movie nights, bowling and soccer.

Participants were selected for the youth parliament based on an application and essay question.

Taylor Raciborski introduced one of the first motions - a proposal to reduce the school year to nine months.

A three-month summer holiday would mean students would increase the length of their school days by one hour. This would allow more students and teachers to spend time out on the land, said Raciborski, representing Yellowknife South.

"It was nerve-wracking," she said after the debate. "But it's good to see everyone's views on things."

The topic spurred a hot debate.

"I think the kids would like it - probably the parents would too," Harris said in the legislature, representing Weledeh.

But the motion failed in a vote, with eight members in favour, five opposed and three abstentions.

"After a while, the summer kind of gets boring and I want to go back to school," said Alecia Lennie, representing Inuvik-Boot Lake.

"I think less school will make students fall into worse work habits," said Nah Ly, representing Yellowknife Centre.

Other members argued students would forget what they've learned over the summer months, or problems with students skipping classes would become worse.

"Parents would have to find babysitters for a longer period of time," said Katherine Sittichinli, student MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Later, the students debated motions on the protection of children abusing drugs, reforming Canada's marijuana laws and allocating lottery proceeds to arts and cultural programs.