OYP History

What we know as Ontario Youth Parliament today is the result of over a century of evolution and the work of thousands of dedicated youth and adults. The history of this organization spans the entire country, through generations and newspaper columns all the way back to the early 1900s.

At the start was simply an idea, a determination to create a place for youth to come together and make an impact on the world around them. Delegates gathered in the face Great Depression; demilitarization debates fired up the House in the Cold War. 

Our Roots

The roots of OYP are in the organized recreation movement of early-20th-century Canada. In 1914 Taylor Statten, secretary of the YMCA's Boys' Work Committee, established a committee to support and foster training camps and conferences through the Canadian Standard Efficiency Training program. The outcome, in 1918, were the Trail Rangers and TUXIS programs.

Taylor Statten believed that the boys themselves should be able to determine the activities of the programs, instead of adults imposing their own opinions and ideas. In accordance with this philosophy, the TUXIS program inaugurated the annual Boys' Parliament, which first occurred in Ontario in 1917. In the following decades, the movement grew to include eight organizations across the country.

The Ontario Older Boys' Parliament thrived throughout the mid-20th century and was recognized both for its direction of youth activities within the church and the unique opportunity it provided to experience democracy first-hand. 

Becoming OYP

In the late 1960s, the Boys' Parliament was opened to girls, becoming Ontario Youth Parliament. It was an organization that grounded young leaders and challenged delegates to face new ideas and speak for their generation on political matters such as LGBT+ rights, anti-militarism, environmental and First Nations issues.

In many ways, we continue to be what we have historically been: an organization that has brought youth together and changed lives for decades, a legacy of youth leadership in action. OYP has long been known for building strong relationships and leadership skills, challenging youth to step outside their comfort zone and embracing diverse perspectives—from the very first meetings of 1907 onwards.