The youth parliament held this past month in Iqaluit made a definite impression on at least one of the two students selected to represent Arviat.

Grade 11 student Lydia Kaviok, 16, was selected along with fellow student Leo Tatty to make the journey to Iqaluit to participate in the youth parliament, and Kaviok said she learned a lot and enjoyed the experience immensely.

She said she was surprised, excited and just a little nervous when she learned she had been selected to participate.

SA国际影视传媒淭here were about 23 youths, I believe, from across Nunavut at the youth parliament in Iqaluit,SA国际影视传媒� said Kaviok. SA国际影视传媒淔rom my personal perspective, I learned a lot about how the legislative assembly of Nunavut is supposed to run and how the government has so many different types of problems itSA国际影视传媒檚 trying to solve.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he two problems, or topics, that really caught my attention were the lack of proper teaching of Inuktitut in so many Nunavut schools and the problem of suicide, including one that happened recently in one Kivalliq community but ISA国际影视传媒檓 not totally sure which one,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪ome topics are real triggers for people who experienced it or witnessed it and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 reasonable for people to expect our government to come up with all the answers to all the different types of problems we face.SA国际影视传媒�

Kaviok said she also really enjoyed pretending to be Arviat North SA国际影视传媒� Whale Cove MLA John Main.

She said she played the role of John Main for the entire youth parliament.

SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 fire any premiers while I was there, but I was really busy during my time in Iqaluit,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think John Main is doing a really great job at his work and while I was John Main I talked about the polar bear problem in Arviat, but I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get to vote because there was a lack of the time needed.SA国际影视传媒�

Kaviok said going to the youth parliament was a rewarding experience for her.

She said she would definitely recommend the experience to any youth in Nunavut who had the opportunity to participate.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just learned an awful lot about a lot of different things while I was in Iqaluit and I totally enjoyed it all,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏eing there also gave me some different things to think about while ISA国际影视传媒檓 finishing high school and I kind of feel like I can look at some issues or topics through different perspectives now, too.SA国际影视传媒�

Gord Billard has Kaviok in his drama club at John Arnalukjuak High School in Arviat and he said he was happy to see her selected to participate because he loves the idea of the youth parliament.

He said he was a member of the youth parliament held when he was in high school.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was the first time that weSA国际影视传媒檇 ever had it in our school back in Newfoundland and I remember I was an Assembly Sergeant at Arms at one point,SA国际影视传媒� laughed Billard.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had always been aware of elections in my community as a young person, but it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 until we actually set up that youth parliament that I realized the inner workings of government and how it all operates.SA国际影视传媒�

Billard said there can never be anything wrong with learning how government works.

He said, in his opinion, itSA国际影视传媒檚 something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 very important to learn about and understand.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 also a chance that for some of these kids it might be the first steps into an interest in politics that might, one day, lead them to government,SA国际影视传媒� he added.

SA国际影视传媒淚t all begins at these seminal little moments in peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 lives when they make decisions that last their lifetime. Someone like Lydia (Kaviok), I wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be the least bit surprised if she did end up in government some day as a result of this experience.SA国际影视传媒�