Universities' Model Parliament

The Universities' Model Parliament ("UMP") is an organization of youth and young adults formed to promote and encourage students from all over western Canada to participate in parliamentary procedure, particularly that of the Canadian House of Commons.

Annual Session

UMP usually meets in Victoria, British Columbia during the first weekend of January, when the actual Legislature is not in session. During this session, the parties participating are based on the real federal political parties, with the exceptation of the Bloc Québécois, which does not have a presence outside of Quebec.

Organizational Structure

Annual General Meeting

The UMP holds an annual general meeting to plan the upcoming session. AGM only takes place within a short period in full consultation in the presence of both the Executive and the General Membership. This AGM is not conducted in parliamentary fashion, but is an open meeting with a more business like atmosphere with the President of the society directly consulting members on concerns and vice-versa. Votes are taken according to a simple majority on issues and questions can be asked by any member of the society. During this AGM new members of the executive are nominated by their respected parties and seconded then voted. The Executive also has meetings throughout the year that can be attended openly by any member who wishes to attend. However due to the difficulties in coordinating meetings between members in Victoria and the Greater Vancouver Regional District, these meetings are usually done once every one or two months.

Governor-General

The Governor-General is typically chosen by the executive on consultation with the coming party that is sitting as government. The conditions for the Governor-General (unless the situation calls for it) is usually not a sitting politician. In the past, notable Canadian Politicians such as the Honorable Preston Manning, and the Honorable Audrey McLaughlan have sat as Governors-General of the society delivering the Throne Speech.

peaker

The Speaker of the House maintains order during debates according to the standing orders of parliament. The Speaker also can eject members of the house for inappropriate conduct in context to the situations. The Speaker is usually elected from the Society Members of Parliament for his or her expertise in Parliamentary Standing Orders and procedure as well as vast knowledge of Parliamentary traditions. The current speaker is the Right Honorable Lorne Phipps, who is the first UMP member to serve both as Prime Minister and Speaker of the House.

ergeant-at-arms

The Sergeant-at-arms is the enforcer of the Speaker of the House's rulings. The Sergeant-at-arms is also responsible for the carrying of the mace at the openings of sessions.

Executive

The Executive acts when UMP is not in session to carry on the organization of the Universities' Model Parliament Society including funding and arranging bookings to hotels and taking poll numbers which result in the seating arrangements of parties within the Parliament itself. There are currently eight positions within the executive:
*Past President
*President
*President of the Senate
*Treasurer
*Secretary
*Liberal Party Representative
*Conservative Party Representative
*New Democratic Party Representative

The executive, with the acceptation of the party representatives and the President of the Senate, all rotate between the political parties present. The President of the Senate is elected by and from the Senators in attendance at that year's sitting of the Senate, immeadeately prior to the AGM. Potentially the Speaker of the House is also included within Executive decisions to enforce and arbitrate issues that may conflict with the Universities Model Parliament Society of British Columbia's Constitution. Also previous members of prominence within the Executive may exercise unofficial influence within the executive itself.

The executive also maintains the power to permanently expel members from the Universities' Model Parliament Society of British Columbia.

ociety Members of Parliament

The bulk of the society is composed of the Society Members of Parliament, often referred to simply as Society Members. In literal terms a "Society Member of Parliament" only exists when he or she is sitting in Parliament itself, otherwise outside of Parliament they are simply referred to as "Society Members". Their function in terms of the Annual General Meeting. According to the Constitution of the UMP, no independent members can be recognized therefore all members must be affiliated with a recognized political party.

Cabinet

The Cabinet is composed of members selected by the Prime Minister. Due to the informal aspect of UMP, they may include fictional departments and responsibilities.

enate

The Senate of the Universities Model Parliament Society is composed of former UMP members and alumni. To become a member of the Senate, a Society Member must serve with Parliament for two years, and then they must be nominated by a senator. If the member accepts this nomination they are then declared members of the Senate and may sit in the Senate sessions. The Senate only sits for a period of 2-3 hours during the entire UMP session while the party members of parliament are participating in standing committees. The Senate itself has a tradition of debating and amending a bill and resolution from the house. The Senators often take great pleasure in modifying the resolution and bill based on twisted sense of arrogance, sexual innuendo and corruption that guarantees Senators more power and authority

Legislative activities

The Universities' Model Parliament society emphasizes and encourages participation in the parliamentary process. These processes include debates, question period and offering amendments to bills.

peech from the Throne

The sitting prime minister writes the Speech from the Throne which is read by the Governor-General. This speech indicates the government's intentions for the following session and is debated by the three leaders of the parties. Individual members may also debate on the speech from the throne, many using this opportunity to declare their maiden speeches.

Bills

Bills proposed by the three parties have already been past the "White Paper" process that typical bills go through in Westminster-styled parliaments in the world. Bills, if passed become laws and have enforcement power by parliament once they pass and are given royal assent.

Resolutions

Resolutions in the Universities Model Parliament are often official government statements that have no actual enforcement power if they actually were passed by the actual Parliament in Ottawa. Resolutions can be unconstitional such as one passed during the 2007 UMP that called for the election of Senators.

unday session

During the first half of the Sunday of the session, the Standing orders are suspended by a unanimous vote (which may not be actually unanimous but traditionally the Speaker will consider it so). During this time, many traditions are carried out:
*Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister exchange roles
*Wardrobe and attire rules are suspended
*Recognition of fictional parties is permitted
*Questions from the Government to the Opposition are asked