Academics
A SHOC to the System
Shawnigan Grade 10 students put their own spin on the Canadian parliamentary process last Thursday as they took part in the Shawnigan House of Commons (SHOC). The students first passed a bill addressing the cost of living in Canada, then departed from protocol by deposing the Prime Minister in a non-confidence vote and replaced her with another Member of Parliament.
“I think it’s one of the best things we do in the Social Studies department,” teacher Mr. Remi Anctil said. “It gets everyone involved.”
All Grade 10 students take part in SHOC each year, giving them a first-hand experience of the workings of federal politics. This year’s session focused on the rising cost of living, with six key points: defunding the CBC, the housing crisis, the carbon tax, the cost of food, inflation, and dental care for low-income families.
Sticking to standard parliamentary procedure, the students went through two readings of the proposed bill, then broke into standing committees to discuss amendments. According to Mr. Anctil, the best discussions took place in the committee meetings, where students were able to speak up in front of smaller groups. In the afternoon, they returned to vote on the amendments before adopting the bill.
Students were assigned to parties in the House of Commons based on their Houses. Aven T. (Strathcona) took on the role of Prime Minister, leading a Liberal government. The parties’ respective stances in SHOC were based on the federal parties’ actual policies. Students were each given a real riding to represent, and they reached out to the real MPs who represent their ridings, with many receiving encouraging responses from those politicians.
Even after the MPs passed the bill, they went to a non-confidence vote that ended in the ouster of Aven as Prime Minister, something that wouldn’t happen in Parliament following the successful adoption of a bill. In another irregular move that has become SHOC tradition, the MPs voted unanimously to replace Aven with a new PM: NDP member Alex S.
Despite being ousted, Aven enjoyed the experience of being Prime Minister.
"In SHOC, serving as Prime Minister was both an honour and a responsibility," she said. "It allowed me to dig into topics well enough to write a bill and communicate with my party members. SHOC is truly one of the most valuable experiences that Shawnigan has to offer, and somewhere between the quick debate and knowledgeable committee sessions, I gained a true respect for its power. Running a program like SHOC, and allowing students to understand the commitment that comes with becoming a change-maker, is key to creating a stronger future."
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Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
