Educational mission of the Quebec National Assembly.

• Author: Duchesne, Pierre

The bicentennial of Quebec's parliamentary institutions in 1991 inspired us to cast a backward glance at our democratic beginnings, recalling the critical importance of the Constitutional Act, 1791; of the first elections, in June 1792; of the first session of Parliament in December 1792; and the parliamentary reforms that led to the National Assembly as we know it today. After the bicentennial, the National Assembly launched a project designed to make Quebec's parliamentary institutions better known, understood and appreciated.

As part of its Educational Mission, the National Assembly has produced documents and has organized activities for students at the primary and secondary levels and for their teachers.

Primary Schools

To promote a better understanding of democracy, the National Assembly in 1992 produced a videotape entitled (Democracy in the Schoolyard and Beyond, aimed at schoolchildren in grades five and six. To date, over 5000 French-language copies and over 500 English-language copies of the videotape and its activity guide have been distributed to primary schools. Active participation in the decisions and putting them into practice has enabled schoolchildren to understand what democracy means.

An activity, launched very recently by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Parlement Ecolier (Mock Parliament) is intended for school children in grade six. They are invited to write laws, elect a "member of the legislature", and attend a sitting of the National Assembly. Since 1997, over 6000 schoolchildren have taken part in this learning activity by writing a piece of legislation in class, by electing one their classmates "member of the legislature", by debating three selected pieces of legislation in class, and by listening to televised debates chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly. We prepared two activity guides, one for teachers and one for the elected "member". This activity is designed to help children nearing the end of primary school to develop an awareness of:

* the legislative work of MNAs and the workings of the National Assembly, through simulation and role-playing exercises;

* the legislative (or decision-making) process;

* respect for others;

* attention to the ideas of others;

* the importance of the role of each citizen in a democracy;

* the importance of choosing one's representatives well;

* respect for the National Assembly as a democratic institution.

Reports from participants indicate that, through this activity, the National Assembly is contributing to the education of citizens in democracy, and that its efforts are appreciated.

Secondary level

A number of documents have been prepared for students in the fourth year of secondary school. One of these is A la decouverte des institutions parlementaires du Quebec (Discovering Quebec's Parliamentary Institutions), a 168-page volume with transparencies that traces the history of Quebec's...