Descriptive Writing

After our recent trip to the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park, the students were asked to put their descriptive writing skills to work to describe the chamber where the MPPs sit.

"When you enter the room it is very large and broad.  The carpet and curtains are green and gold.  To your left is the government and there is a speech stop sign for each MPP including the Premier, Kathleen Wynne. To your right is the opposition a.k.a. the NDPs and the Conservatives.  In front of you is a wide hall that leads to the Speaker's chair.  Above the chair are three flags on the left and the right.  One of the flags symbolizes Canada.  The second one represents the chamber.  If you go back a few steps, you would find the clerks' table where they take notes.  Right under the table there is the mace.  That represents the authority of the Speaker.  Above both sides are benches where people can watch a debate live.  That is the chamber."  -  A.G.

"The chamber is a fancy room in the Ontario Legislative building that is used for debating.  There are 107 seats for all 107 MPPs.  Each seat has a desk with a name on it. There is one side for the major government and the other side is for the minor government.  The Liberal Party sits on one side and the Conservative and the NDP Party sits on the other side.  In the middle is the Speaker's chair which is a very fancy chair.  The MPPs' chairs are just normal green chairs that you can use for computers.  In front of the Speaker's chair is a table for the 5-6 clerks which write down information.  On that table is the mace that sits on a cushion and it points at Kathleen Wynne's seat. There are also two timers on the wall with one on each side to see how much time you have to talk.  You would usually get 10-15 minutes.  If you ran out of time and you're not done the Speaker can cut off your microphone.  When the MPPs are debating and you went to tour the chamber, you have to go up in the gallery where you have a bird's eye view of the chamber.  There are lots carvings on the wall. [One] is to tell the government to use their money wisely.  The other one means that the minor government should watch the government use their money.  That is facts about the chamber."  - M.E.