Youth Parliament of Manitoba - History

History

In 1922, George Stewart, Lieutenant Governor of the Youth Parliament of Manitoba and North Western Ontario, opened the first Annual Session of the organization. It was one of the first such YPs in Western Canada, preceded only by the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta and followed by British Columbia Youth Parliament and Saskatchewan Youth Parliament. Its goal at the time was to develop leadership and awareness of the parliamentary system in young men.

At the time, youth parliament was just one of the activities started by the TUXIS youth movement. This organization, set up by the Canadian Protestant community, was designed to encourage social, academic, religious and physical activity among young men and was based on the biblical passage Luke 2:52, which states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and with people."

By 1971, Manitoba's youth parliament (by this time called the TUXIS and Older Boys Parliament) was made completely non-denominational. The Oath of Allegiance and legislation was thus no longer written solely for specific religious groups.

On December 28, 1972, a special meeting was called to admit women as full members into the organization and change the name to Youth Parliament of Manitoba. Previously, women could only be admitted as associate members and could not vote on legislation. Seven years later, Ann Thompson became the first female Premier of YPM and, one year later, the first female Speaker.

YPM has also hosted the second, sixth, tenth, and fourteenth sessions of Western Canada Youth Parliament.