Pania Ghaneian may be a name to get familiar with if you keep track of politics, especially after the 13-year-old got a taste of Queen’s Park.
Ghaneian is a Grade 8 student at Codrington Public School with a love of politics and was one of hundreds of applicants to be selected as a legislative page for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
She tells BarrieToday her love of politics comes from listening to her dad talk to her all about them, “even if my mom thinks he shouldn’t talk to me so much about it.”
Ghaneian says it was a chance meeting with a local politician that got the ball rolling on the page program for her.
“A couple of years ago, my parents and I were at an event and saw MPP Andrea Khanjin. I went to talk to her because I really wanted to learn more about politics,” Ghanenian says. “At the time I was in Grade 6, but she told me about this program which I could apply for in grade 7 or 8, which I was excited about.”
After applying in January 2022, and giving them her sister’s number to call should she make it, Ghaneian heard back with an acceptance call.
“I gave them my sister’s number because I knew she’d check her phone more than me. I got home from school one day and she shoved the phone in my ear because they had called,” Ghaneian says. “I was kind of taken back because I just got in the door and wondered what was happening, but I was so happy.”
Ghaneian’s mother, Mojgan Ahmadi Nadooshan, tells BarrieToday it was news to the family that she had even applied.
“I didn’t even know she had applied to the program. She is a very independent person,” says Nadooshan. “It was a wonderful experience for her and even for us because we all got to go down and see.”
Each year, approximately 150 students from across the province are selected to participate in Ontario’s legislative page program. The unique educational program for Ontario students provides an opportunity to experience the provincial legislature in action and forge new lifelong friendships with peers from all over the province.
The program is designed for outgoing, high-achieving, community-involved students who have demonstrated responsibility and leadership.
Legislative pages meet key parliamentary and political figures, and learn first-hand about parliament and the legislative process.
To be eligible to become a legislative page, Ghaneian had to have a good academic record and submit an essay explaining why she would be a good candidate for the program.
For the spring term, beginning Feb. 22 for three weeks, 12 pages were picked out of more than 300 applicants.
Ghaneian says she and other pages got to not only witness legislature happen, but also meet several politicians and dignitaries. She also enjoyed the friendships she made.
“It was so amazing to be there and see how everything works politically. I expected it to be very hard with long days, but it was enjoyable,” Ghaneian says. “I also met the other page, and many of us have kept in touch.”
While the program can create opportunities for many young students, Ghaneian doesn’t think enough kids are aware of it and wants to get the world out.
“This is a program that can create many opportunities for students in the future, however, many passionate students are not aware of the program. An article will spread awareness about this program and hopefully encourage more outgoing students in Barrie-Innisfil to apply,” says Ghaneian.
“I hope to create more representation of Simcoe County in the page program, and want to inspire Barrie students to consider this opportunity.”
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
