By Lisa Schick

Local teen to experience Parliament

Feb 6, 2011 | 9:45 AM

Parliament Hill is a world away from the prairies, but one Prince Albert teenager is looking to cross that gap – if only for a week.

Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Jarzab will be leaving Prince Albert for Ottawa in late February, to attend the Forum for Young Canadians.

Jarzab said she can’t wait for the trip.

“I’m really excited to see all the government buildings (and) to see a place that’s so talked about within Canada,” she said.

The forum is run every year when Parliament is in session.
Around 125 high school students, aged 15 to 18, are brought to Ottawa and stay there for a week, learning about life on Parliament Hill.

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Jarzab, as part of the group, will get to sit in on sessions of both the House of Commons and the Senate.

She will be able to meet with her MP, Randy Hoback, Senators and listen to presentations from members of Prime Minister’s Office.

“The population in general is not aware of exactly how things work on parliament hill,” said Marie-Michelle Laferriere, manager of programs and outreach for the forum, indicating the need for this type of program for Canadian youth.

For Jarzab it wasn’t just the prospect of the political life she would get to see that got her to sign up for the forum.
Jarzab was also intrigued by the other teens she would get to meet.

“I heard (from others who had gone) that they met a ton of people from all over Canada and that they are still touch with these people, still hang out with them today.”

Laferriere said that the foum will really allow the students to see how parliament works “from A to Z” and that their objective is to get these teens involved in the democracy process even before they are of-age to vote.

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