WATERLOO, Ont., (Friday, Dec. 3, 2010) - High school students in Waterloo Region will participate in Canada's only federal-provincial government conference simulation at the University of Waterloo next Tuesday (Dec. 7) and Wednesday (Dec. 8).
The simulation, organized by Waterloo's political science department and the regional history heads association, has been held at the university for 45 years.
"The conference, which is popularly known as Fed-Prov, is an excellent opportunity for students to become interested and engaged in politics while in high school," said John Jaworsky, professor of political science at Waterloo. "This federal-provincial government simulation is a unique event in Canada."
This year, the role of Canada's prime minister will be handled by Ben Woodfinden from Southwood Secondary School. Other students from Southwood Secondary School will serve as federal ministers. Students from other schools will have responsibilities to chair meetings of provincial and territorial ministers.
Besides first ministers meetings, ministerial delegations participate in committees dealing with finance, justice, health, the environment, agriculture and economic affairs, as well as immigration and aboriginal affairs. A number of special interest groups will be represented this year, including Greenpeace and First Nations.
Two schools - Eastwood Collegiate Institute and Glenview Park Secondary School - will produce newspapers during the conference to provide information and promote debate over the two days. One of the schools will be the recipient of the Waterloo Region Record's federal-provincial conference press award.
The John Boulden Award, named after one of the founders of the simulation, will be presented to one of the student first ministers based on a vote by all participants. Boulden himself showed up last year to present the award. Organizers expect he will be able to attend this year.
Working sessions take place in several rooms in the Arts Lecture Hall, J. G. Hagey Hall of the Humanities and the Modern Languages building on Tuesday and Wednesday. The concluding plenary session will be held in the Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages building, on Wednesday, from 1:45 to 3 p.m.
About Waterloo
The University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's Technology Triangle, is one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities. Waterloo is home to 30,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are dedicated to making the future better and brighter. Waterloo, known for the largest post- secondary co-operative education program in the world, supports enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. For more information about Waterloo, visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
Contacts:
John Jaworsky, professor, political science, 519-888-4567, ext. 36566 or jjaworsky@uwaterloo.ca
John Morris, Waterloo media relations, 519-888-4435 or john.morris@waterloo.ca
Waterloo release no. 96
