It was a whirlwind day for Renfrew County District School Board’s (RCDSB) Student Senators to mark the end of their term.
Student Senators representing every secondary school in the RCDSB and Indigenous student leadership recently had a very special up close and behind-the-scenes visit to Parliament Hill. The day included visits to the Senate of Canada and the House of Commons. RCDSB student leadership met with Government of Canada Senators, Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers, the Speaker of the House, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the staff members who support the work of governing.
Highlights of the day include:
- At the Senate, speaking with former RCDSB student and current SenGage staff member Eliza Moratz who shared how she came to work at the Senate.
- Senator Judy White (Indigenous, Nfld.) shared her journey and perspectives.
- Tour of the Senate, courtesy of Senator Rob Black.
- RCDSB students were lucky to be escorted onto the floor of the House of Commons by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Pat Macdonell, and the Speaker of the House, MP Greg Fergus.
- Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant joined the crew for a photo, presented students with pins and shared highlights of her career.
- A quick meeting with Minister of Justice, the Honourable Arif Varani, followed by an in-depth discussion with the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree.
- A study of Question Period – RCDSB’s group took prime seats in the Gallery, first hearing Member’s Statements, followed by a raucous Question Period that included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When it was over, students and staff were given the use of a board room to debrief what they had witnessed with MP Bardish Chaggar, a former Government House Leader.
- Before heading to the Antrim Truck Stop for a bite to eat, students spoke with another former RCDSB graduate Rob Jamieson, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Public Security.
In Ottawa, students were joined by the Chair of the Board, Susan Humphries, Vice Chair, Leo Boland, Trustee Dave Dobson, and RCDSB Board and Indigenous Education staff.
The RCDSB has seven secondary schools. Each school elects two students to represent them at the Student Senate. The Student Senate meets several times a year led by two elected student trustees who have a dual role as student representatives to the Board of Trustees. Student trustee Ava Beggs from Madawaska Valley District School is completing her final year of a two-year term as she graduates this June, while student trustee Grace Ding from Mackenzie Community School in Deep River ends her first term. Sydney Dougherty, from Arnprior District High School, has been elected as a student trustee for the 2024-2025 year to serve with Grace Ding.
The Indigenous Student Leadership is a new initiative this year under the guidance of the Indigenous Education department and educators Logan Wright and Barb Scott-Cole.
(Sherry Haaima)