A student originally from the Ottawa Valley area got the chance to take in a unique civic education experience inside Ottawa’s Senate chambers.
The first-ever Youth Parliament of Canada – a four-day mock government held in the real Senate chambers, with participation from real MPs and government staffers – was held from November 6th to 10th, 2025.
Jamie Hopkins, a student from Deep River currently studying child and youth care in Sudbury, was selected as one of the 73 participants out of a pool of hundreds of applicants.
Hopkins, an enthusiast for Canadian politics, said she applied for the opportunity to take part in the event eagerly.
Hopkins said the group that made up the Youth Parliament program was made up of people from all over Canada.
On paper, Hopkins represented the Sudbury area, but she said she chose to represent her hometown as much as possible.
Hopkins spent much of her time acting as a faux-MP working in the senate, where the participants debated over hypothetical bills.
All participants also had a chance to give a “member statement” outlining their priorities and the issues they found most important, which Hopkins said was her favourite part of the experience.
She recommends the experience of participating in the Youth Parliament of Canada to anyone eligible for next year.
The Youth Parliament of Canada was organized by CIVIX, an educational charity teaching Canadian students about politics and government.
(Written by Steve Berard)
