Revised:  September 2007

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY PAGES

            During sessions of the Legislative Assembly, high-school students are employed as pages.  The Sergeant-at-Arms administers the arrangements in cooperation with the Victoria School District.  The School District selects a school to provide the pages for each new session, and the school and the Sergeant-at-Arms select twelve students.  The students selected must be very reliable, exemplary in conduct, courteous, intelligent and alert.  They must have excellent academic marks and be able to maintain them despite absences from classes.  Usually students from grades 9 and 10 are chosen, resulting in ages from 14 to 16.

            Pages serve as attendants in the Legislative Chamber, preparing for the afternoon sitting, carrying messages, documents and water glasses for Members and House Officers; and carrying messages between the Chamber and offices within the Parliament Buildings.  Each new set of pages is briefed by the Sergeant-at-Arms, the Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms, the Chamber Supervisor, and the Supply Supervisor.  Briefings and uniform fittings usually require about two afternoons before sittings of the House begin.  Subsequently, the Chamber Supervisor gives direction and monitors performance.

            Each page works at the Legislature on two afternoons each week, six pages on Mondays and Wednesdays and six pages on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  They must leave school in time to arrive and change into uniform and be at their posts by 1:00 p.m.  They leave their posts at 5:40 p.m. each day to allow time to change and put away their uniforms before departing at 6:00 p.m.  There is generally no overtime.  However, some extra hours may be worked on the opening day of each session.  Regardless, pages are never kept beyond 6:00 p.m. daily.  Absences are arranged if school work needs extra time.  Pages may also arrange substitutions among themselves, but the pay goes to those who actually work the time.

            Pages are paid slightly above the present provincial minimum wage.  Each page must have a Social Insurance Number.  Since most will not yet have numbers, and applications take about four weeks to process, applications must be made quickly.  The students should submit the required forms promptly to Canada Employment Centre local offices.  A birth certificate, immigration certificate, or passport will be needed.

            We provide uniforms for the pages to wear on duty:  girls -- blue blazer, grey skirt, white blouse, grey knee socks and a feminine style tie;  boys -- blue blazer, grey trousers, white shirt, grey socks and a bow tie.  The students must provide their own footwear, black business style shoes.