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Model Senate

Model Senate 2025

Be a part of the fifth annual Model Senate from Thursday, March 20 to Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa, Ontario.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

APPLY NOW

The deadline to apply is December 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Before applying, please read the information below carefully to ensure you understand the time commitment and meet the eligibility criteria for Model Senate.

What is Model Senate?

Model Senate is a three-day event for post-secondary students who are curious about how Parliament functions and how senators do their important work. There is no need to be an expert on the Upper Chamber or on parliamentary procedure to take advantage of this unique opportunity! 

Model Senate will help you improve your skills and develop new ones through a variety of activities. The event will also connect you with like-minded students from across the country and sitting senators who are excited meet you! 

As a model senator, you will: 

  • Gain a deeper understanding of how senators serve Canadians and put your own skills to the test by debating issues on the floor of the Red Chamber or in a Senate committee room. 
  • Get face time with senators, their staff, members of the Senate Administration and fellow participants through meet-and-greets and networking opportunities. 
  • Collaborate with your peers in an inspiring setting, receive career advice and learn how you can help strengthen Canada’s democratic institutions for many generations to come.

The time commitment 

To be selected as a model senator, you must be available — in person, in Ottawa — for all scheduled Model Senate activities on:

  • Thursday, March 20, 2025 (from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET)
  • Friday, March 21, 2025 (from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET)
  • Saturday, March 22, 2025 (from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET)

To participate, you’ll need to complete a 90-minute, online learning module and attend a mandatory virtual information session in February. Depending on your assigned role, you may have to draft and submit speaking notes and attend an additional training session in the weeks leading up to the event. You also need to dedicate time to read emails and stay up to date on event information!

Key dates and schedule of activities

January 15, 2025: Selection and confirmation of participation

  • Selected participants will be notified by email by January 15, 2025.
  • You will need to confirm your participation within 48 hours, at which point you’ll learn what role(s) have been assigned to you.
  • A waitlist will be created for those not accepted in the first round. 

February 13 to 28, 2025: Training and information sessions

  • Before Model Senate, you will have to complete an online learning module designed to help you understand the basics about the Senate. The module should take approximately 90 minutes to complete.
  • You will also be invited to a mandatory virtual information session, where Senate staff can answer your questions about the event and the content covered in the module.
  • Depending on your role, you may be asked to submit speaking notes or participate in an additional training session. 

Thursday, March 20, 2025: Senate Social

  • Model Senate will kick off with the Senate Social, a networking event where participants can learn about and interact with the people who make up the Senate community — including sitting senators! 

Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22, 2025: Senate sitting and committee meeting simulations

  • Model senators will take their seats in the Red Chamber and in committee to simulate Senate debates and studies.
  • Each day, model senators will see one bill through the legislative process. Bills will be shared with selected participants in February 2025.
  • Model senators will be assigned roles that will determine when in the day they will rise to speak. Some participants will be assigned a committee role. There will also be impromptu opportunities to participate in debates.
  • During the committee simulations, a sitting senator will testify as a witness during the study of a bill at the committee stage. Select model senators will ask questions to further their understanding of the topic, before moving amendments, drafting observations and voting on the bill’s passage to third reading. 

A light lunch will be provided on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22. 

Please note: The Senate is not responsible for costs related to additional meals, transportation or accommodation for selected participants.

How to apply for Model Senate

Eligibility

To be considered for this event, applicants must:

  • Be enrolled in a recognized Canadian university or college at the time of the event.
  • Be between 18 and 30 years old as of March 20, 2025.
  • Complete and submit the online application form and required documentation (CV, statement of intent, letter of support and proof of enrolment) by December 1, 2024. 

The application form

To express your interest, please fill out the Model Senate application form and submit it before December 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Please note: The Model Senate selection process is competitive, and spaces are limited. While we encourage all interested students to apply, not all applicants will be selected. If you’ve applied for previous editions of Model Senate, please note that the application process has changed. Please review the application and follow all instructions carefully to ensure all requirements are met. 

Documentation required

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit the following documents:

  • Your CV (max. 2 pages), detailing your education, academic pursuits, professional experience or career aspirations and extracurricular activities.
  • A statement of intent (max. 500 words), explaining why you want to become a model senator, what you hope to learn, and what specific skills you’d like to develop during Model Senate.
  • A letter of support from an academic, professional, organizational or community-based reference.
  • Proof of enrolment in a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution. 

For your proof of enrolment, you can send any of the following documents issued by a recognized Canadian university or college:

  • Proof of registration, with or without the registrar’s seal (usually available to download for free on your institution’s online student portal).
  • Official proof of student status (verification of student status).
  • A PDF file or a screenshot of your proof of student status (this is acceptable only if it clearly shows your name, school and confirmation of registration for the 2024–2025 academic year). 

Please note: Your application will not be considered complete until all requested documents are received. We recommend gathering all the necessary documents before starting the application process. 

Evaluation of applications

Your application will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Willingness to learn
    • You demonstrate an eagerness to learn new things (e.g., about the Senate, parliamentary procedure, speech writing), regardless of your previous experience with mock parliaments or parliamentary procedure.
  • Link to studies and interests
    • You draw clear links between taking part in Model Senate and your academic program, career aspirations and/or personal interests (e.g., current affairs, regional issues, Parliament).
  • Quality of writing
    • You effectively and clearly convey your responses within the assigned parameters (e.g., +/- 500 words). The writing is free of spelling and grammar errors and written without the use of artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT, CoPilot).
  • Attention to detail and organization
    • You adhere to all instructions outlined in the application process (e.g., naming convention) and submit all documents in a timely manner. 

Remember: You do not need to be an expert on the Senate or on parliamentary procedure to apply for and participate in Model Senate! 

Accessibility

We are committed to ensuring Model Senate is accessible for everyone. If you require a form of accommodation to apply to Model Senate (such as an alternative application format), please email SENgage@sen.parl.gc.ca.

READY TO START YOUR APPLICATION? 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the eligibility criteria for Model Senate?

To be considered for this event, applicants must:

  • Be enrolled in a recognized Canadian university or college at the time of the event.
  • Be between 18 and 30 years old as of March 20, 2025.
  • Complete and submit the online application form and required documentation (CV, statement of intent, letter of support and proof of enrolment) by December 1, 2024.

Who can write my letter of support?

To complete your application to Model Senate, we ask that you submit a letter of support (also called a letter of reference) from an academic, work, organizational or community-based reference. Your reference should be someone who can speak to your work ethic and character. For example, this person could be a high school teacher, a university professor, a manager or supervisor at your workplace or someone who works at an organization you’ve volunteered for. 

Please note: Your letter of support doesn’t need to have been drafted specifically for Model Senate. We will accept reference letters written for previous job, scholarship or model parliament applications during your time as a post-secondary student. If you are in your first year of post-secondary school, we will accept a reference letter from your final two years of high school. 

Are there any fees associated with Model Senate?

No, there is no fee to apply for or participate in the event! That said, the Senate is not responsible for costs related to meals, transportation or accommodation for selected participants. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided to model senators on both sitting days. 

Do I need to be bilingual to participate?

No. Just like in real Senate sittings and committee meetings, live French and English interpretation will be available to all participants. Documentation and live facilitated workshops will be offered in both official languages. 

I applied for / participated in a previous edition of Model Senate. Can I apply again?

Yes. We’d love to see you again! You can reapply as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. If you’ve previously applied for Model Senate, you’ll notice that the application process has changed. Please carefully review the application and follow all instructions. 

What is the time commitment for participating in Model Senate?

To be selected as a model senator, you must be available for all scheduled Model Senate activities from Thursday, March 20 to Saturday, March 22, 2025. All activities will take place in person at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa, Ontario. 

To prepare for the event, selected participants are also required to complete an online learning module, attend a virtual information session and, in some cases, draft and submit speaking notes. Please read the time commitment section above for the details. 

Will I have to redo the online learning module and information session if I participated in Model Senate 2024?

Yes. All selected participants will need to complete the online learning module and attend the mandatory virtual information session before Model Senate 2025. 

Will I get to meet senators?

Yes, you will have the opportunity to meet with some senators and members of the Senate community. 

Will food be provided to participants?

A light lunch and refreshments will be provided to model senators on both sitting days. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own snacks and reusable water bottle. 

How can I prepare for Model Senate?

The online learning module and virtual information session are designed to help selected participants prepare for Model Senate. Speaking opportunities for the Senate sitting and committee simulations will be assigned in advance; depending on your assigned role, you’ll receive further guidance on how to prepare and submit speaking notes before the event. Please read the time commitment section above for more information about what will be expected of you. 

In the meantime, it never hurts to do a little research yourself! The Senate’s online publications are a great starting point. They cover the Senate’s work, its role within Parliament, the Red Chamber’s main players and the Senate of Canada Building. 

We also suggest that you watch live and taped Senate sittings and committee meetings to study senators in action and familiarize yourself with how the Red Chamber operates. 

Where can I learn more about the Senate of Canada?

If you’re hungry for more information about the Upper Chamber, check out the following resources: 

How can I keep up to date with what’s happening at the Senate?

To get the latest news about the Upper Chamber, follow or subscribe to the Senate’s social media accounts (see below), and sign up for Senate committee alerts and the Senate eNewsletter. 

NEW: We invite you to join our Senate Network for Young Professionals on LinkedIn. 

Engage with us on these platforms using the hashtags #SenCA and #SENgage in your posts!

Whom should I contact if I have more questions about Model Senate?

If you have any further questions, please email us at: SENgage@sen.parl.gc.ca. We recommend you add this email address to your safe senders list so you don’t miss any Model Senate emails!

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