(Yellowknife, NT) April 18, 2008 – Nineteen high school students from across the North will take part in Youth Parliament 2008 beginning on Monday, April 21 at the Legislative Assembly building in Yellowknife. The students will participate in three days of meetings and briefings in preparation for the Youth Parliament Session during which they assume the roles of their respective Member of the Legislative Assembly. 

Speaker Paul Delorey says, “Youth Parliament has become a proud Northern tradition among high school students with nine years under our belt. It’s an excellent program that develops student awareness of Northern civics. At the same time, it builds on a students’ natural leadership skills and provides opportunity for personal growth in areas such as public speaking, writing, research, and interpersonal skills.” 

Youth Parliament is one of several educational outreach programs offered at the Legislative Assembly through the Office of the Speaker. The program is aimed at educating Northern youth about consensus government emphasizing the Assembly, it’s function and history, and the important role the institution holds in the NWT. 

The educational theme for Youth Parliament 2008 will focus on the Official Languages of the Northwest Territories and will include presentations from the Minister responsible for Official Languages and the NWT Languages Commissioner. 

The participants, by constituency, are: 

Deh Cho – Ms. Morgan Ranseth                         Frame Lake – Ms. Amber O’Reilly 
Great Slave – Ms. Jessica Curren                        Hay River North – Ms. Frankie Ranger 
Hay River South – Ms. Brieanne Taylor Glaicar      Inuvik Boot Lake – Ms. Brittany Lucas-Cockney 
Inuvik Twin Lakes – Ms. Kandace Joy Sittichinli    Kam Lake – Ms. Hanna Wilson 
Mackenzie Delta – Ms. Daralynn Kaye                 Monfwi – Ms. Edie Erasmus 
Nahendeh – Ms. Natalie Villeneuve                     Nunakput – Ms. Chelsey Olifie 
Range Lake – Mr. Tyler Comeau                        Sahtu – Ms. Hilary Andre 
Thebacha – Ms. Nicole K. Labine                        Tu Nedhe – Mr. Lyndon Giroux 
Weledeh – Mr. Zander Affleck                            Yellowknife Centre – Mr. Nathan Bridges
Yellowknife South – Ms. Rochelle Hilderman 

The Youth Parliament 2008 session is taking place on Thursday, April 24th, at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to come watch the Session from the Public Gallery. Media are encouraged to arrange interviews with the students prior to the sitting day. For more information, please contact: 

Danielle O’Neill 
Public Affairs and Communications Advisor 
Legislative Assembly of the NWT 
Phone: 867-669-2218 or 1-800-661-0784 
Email: danielle_o'neill@gov.nt.ca