Week in Review

So much stuff happened this week! I had lots of fun, and also ended up missing lots of school...

...So much homework to catch up on...

ANYWAYS

Not planning to bring down the mood of general depression here, so I shall explain what happened!




Serené's Busy Week

Saturday: Parliament Simulation Day 0.

Went with GG and JS (Who are also in the school Debate Team), KK, and ST (and Mr.DebateCoach). Lots of people where there from different schools as well. There were 3 teams of government that we could be in, and everyone I mentioned signed up for the Liberal Party team. There were a bunch of elections, which resulted in Liberals becoming the Government party, and ST becoming the Liberal Party Leader (prime minister).

Location: George Ignatieff Theatre

Wednesday: Parliament Simulation Day 1.

We as Government wrote 2 bills that we were supposed to present to the rest of the parties, and hopefully so we could pass them. The bills were about OSAP and First Nations Health Care. Lots of debating went on in the Chamber.

Location: Ontario Legislative Assembly (It was big and AWESOME!)

Thursday: Parliament Simulation Day 2.

Planned on how our bill could be passed. HOWEVER, we got overthrown in the Chamber (The PC and NDP Parties had a coalition) and we were no longer Government. The PC+NDP Government Party showed us their Bills (also about OSAP and First Nations Health Care), and we found out that they copied our bill! Everyone was very angry for a while...

Location: Ontario Legislative Assembly

Friday: Parliment Simulation Day 3.

Decided to give up going against the PC+NDP Party, so we agreed to pass their bills (the bills were ours in the beginning anyways...). Then they decided to have an Independant Member Bill, which was about an idea of a Split Health Program, which we succeeded in killing.

Location: Ontario Legislative Assembly

Saturday: OSDU Junior Debate Competition

This had nothing to do with the Parliamentary Simulations, but people apparently enjoy putting important things together...

Debated with my partner CG. The debates were both sides of a prepared resolution, plus an impromptu round. We did quite well, but we lost our Proposition round of the prepared resolution, so we couldn't win as a team. HOWEVER, we had awesome individual scores, so we were able to get in the Top 5 speakers (thus, we received Shiny Stuff!). The awesome CG placed 2nd overall and 1st as a Senior, and I was able to get 4th overall and 3rd as a Senior debater.

Location: Sid Smith Hall + Trinity College

Yups...lots of fun!

It was really hard to get pictures...there were guards all around the place, and we weren't allowed to take any pictures at all. I don't know if this is against the law or not, so I can't describe the Legislative Building either...but all I can say is that it was completely AWESOME!

Some pictures I was able to sneak in:

Won't hurt to see the

wonderful designs on the

stairs...

Would it?

Yeah that is right!

English: <---

French: --->

Washroom: <---

Cafeteria: --->

...yeah...

...Holy Music...

...Dust flies around...

I think that is all I can do without getting into trouble for leaking information out to terrorists or something...

Sorry about the huge lack of info, but I figured no one would bother breaking in if they only have a French+English exit sign and some designs on the stairs to go on...

So yeah...

Closing off this really long post, here are the 2 debate topics we had to use on Saturday. I thought I might be able to learn from everyone if people felt like commenting with some information about the topics, and so I will be able to improve my skills?

Serené's Secret to Shiny Things:

Topic 1: Prepared Resolution.

This House Believes that only New Technology can Save Humanity from the Effects of Climate Change.

New Technology = Technology that does not currently exist or only exists in a highly experimental form (aka technology that is not currently available to people).

Reasons why it IS true, and reasons why it ISN'T.

Topic 2: Impromptu Round.

This House Would tie Teacher's Salary to Student's Performance in School

Once again, reasons why it Should be done, and reasons why it Shouldn't.

That is it for today!

I might link the Bills we made during the Parliamentary Simulation if anyone feels interested in it...

Today's Surroundings: Dust...Lots of Dust

Today's Object: Envelopes

Today's Feelings: Purple