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Tottenham student selected to be Page at Queen’s Park

April 7, 2022   ·   0 Comments

Each year, young students from across the province are selected to participate in Ontario’s Legislative Page Program at Queen’s Park.

Tottenham resident Callum Smith-Milne was chosen to serve a term as Page at the Provincial Legislature and is currently carrying out his duties when parliament is in session.

Callum, a Grade 8 student who attends Tecumseth South Public School, was recommended for the program by both the school principal and his teacher.

The Page program is a term of four weeks during which time a Page experiences the provincial legislature in action and learns about the legislative process.

Each Legislative Page earned a place in the program by submitting an application that included an essay outlining their achievements, involvements and suitability for the program.

Callum said he has always had an interest in civic affairs, and it was his father who suggested he apply for the Page program.

“I tried to apply last year because my Dad suggested it,” Callum said of applying for the program. “Last year, only Grade 8s could apply and I was in Grade 7. This year I re-applied and got in.

“Whenever I’m in the car, I’ll listen to news over music to learn about current events,” he said of his interest in the world around him.

To be considered, you must apply for the program then get permission from both your teacher and school principal. A student must achieve an academic average of least 80 per cent.

While a page will not be attending regular school classes during the term, they will still take part in some school classes when not in the legislature under the direction of a certified Ontario teacher.

As the House doesn’t sit on Fridays, Pages go on field trips each Friday during their term.

Being a Page provides a learning experience beyond that received in a classroom setting and is considered to be quite a prestigious accomplishment to be accepted.

Pages receive instruction on their duties and how they should carry them out when the House is in session. They are there to serve all MPPs of every party and cannot express any kind of partisan behaviour.

“When an MPP requests water, you get them water,” Callum explained. “When required, you run upstairs and deliver papers and documents. I have to be non-partisan and serve everyone equally. If someone says something I agree with, I can’t smile, I have to keep a poker-face and show no favouritism.”

A Page has to be alert at all times. When an MPP needs them, they will give them a signal, and it might just be the snap of fingers, or a look, and the Page will respond.

As a page, Callum has to memorize all 124 MPPs in the House by name.

“I have to memorize all the MPPs, what they do, and what they look like,” Callum explained. “There’s a special process to do this because there’s a whole chamber of MPPs.”

Callum summed up his experience by saying, “It’s very challenging but very rewarding.”

By Brian Lockhart

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