The Ultimate Classroom: Northumberland Page Learns the Value of ‘Hearing the Other Side’ at Queen’s Park
From the rolling hills of Northumberland County to the hallowed halls of Queen’s Park, Grade 8 homeschooled student Lucas Teo earned a highly competitive seat in the heart of Ontario democracy as a Legislative Page, proudly representing the riding of Northumberland–Peterborough South.
Lucas secured this placement by demonstrating excellent academic achievement and submitting a detailed essay outlining his suitability and interest in civic action.
Lucas’s unconventional education is defined by immersive and experiential learning. Having traveled extensively, Lucas views the world as the ultimate classroom, drawing academic lessons from real-world events, such as studying democracy’s foundations in Athens and the importance of protecting human rights at WWII sites in Amsterdam. His hands-on learning aligns perfectly with the unique experience offered by the Legislative Page Program.
Serving from November 17 to December 11, the commitment was significant: Pages arrive promptly at 8:00 a.m. to prepare the Chamber and often remain until 6:30 p.m. During this time, Lucas’ duties include delivering important messages, documents, and water to Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) on the Chamber floor, attending classes on legislative process, and meeting with key figures such as the Speaker of the House, Sergeant-at-Arms, Lieutenant-Governor, and Northumberland-Peterborough South’s MPP. Lucas experienced the fast-paced action of provincial politics up-close.
Beyond his daily duties, Lucas is keenly interested in understanding governance. Observing the Legislative Chamber first-hand has given him an unparalleled view of democracy in action, including passionate– and at times, heated– discussions between different parties, each advocating strongly for their distinct belief systems. This has reinforced a key lesson learned during his travels: while differing views are always a reality, the imperative of serving the province must always lead opposing beliefs toward common ground.
This lesson is captured by the government’s official motto, which Lucas keenly observed to be engraved in the Chamber. “Audi alteram partem” is Latin for “hear the other side”, Lucas says. “I really like the LAO’s motto. As I am sitting in the Chamber, hearing an argument different from my opinion has given me a different perspective to contemplate. I think it is essential for effective governance.”
The Legislative Page Program allows students from every corner of the province to develop long-lasting friendships and meet peers with similar interests while receiving a unique civic education. For Lucas, the Page Program not only allowed him to build friendships and “bond over the trauma of the long hours”, he jokes, but provided him with an enduring lesson on the importance of listening and the necessity of hearing the other side.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love