Speaker for Tuesday 10th September 2013 - Mr Jack McCann
13/09/13 19:36
Photo: President Graham Kane greets Jack McCann, with club members Jim Foote (Left) and Cecil Leitch (Right)
Talk by Jack McCann on ‘The Youth Parliament’
Club President Graham Kane welcomed club members and then introduced our speaker for the morning, Mr Jack McCann, who is a member of the UK Youth Parliament. Jack began his talk with a little background information about himself. He has recently left college and will soon be starting a degree (in Chemistry - not Politics!?!?!?) at Warwick University.
Although Jack sees himself as 'a child of the "Good Friday agreement"', he has only recently became interested in 'politics' as such, when he became a member of the 'Youth Forum' about two years ago. He in now the officially elected member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) for 'East Londonderry'. Over this short time, his experiences have been something of a revelation to him, as he (and all MYPs) has a direct contact with nearly all our MLAs. From Jack's standpoint, he sees Stormont as being shrouded by ineffectiveness, as it is not making itself relevant to young people.
Jack said that he remembers coming home after his first day in secondary school (Loreto College, Coleraine) and saying to his mother, 'I've met a "Prod" in my class and he's alright'. That was only in 2006, and he thinks he has come a long way since then - he would say that his own political views are now similar to Ian Paisley Jr.!!
Jack went on to give an assured and clear description on how the Youth Parliament works, how he was elected and what issues the YP have been influential in progressing.
The talk was followed by an extended 'question and answer' session, which had members spontaneously clapping at many of Jack's replies. At the beginning of the session, the questions started with things like 'what age do you think young people should become interested in Politics?' - 'I was 16 … but the earlier the better' - or complaints that young don't appear to be interested in society, only their iPhones, iPods and the like. For Jack it's evidence that 'iPolitics' are required, more modern methods of communication and relevant content, as well as politics/politicians being SEEN to be relevant, are what is needed. As the Q&A session continued members made more complicated enquiries, one member asked a six part question, and we were all amazed that it drew the response of 'that's a big question, I'll have to answer that point by point' which he did, and got a hearty round of applause when he got to the end. The final questioner asked Jack, what elements of what party would he 'raise a flag for'. Jack answered that he was a signed up member of the N.I. Conservative Party, as at present he thought they best represented his views, BUT, he thought that as he developed, his views could change, and so he may find another party more appealing.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Cecil Leitch, who clearly spoke for all the members, when he summed up the talk as not only interesting and enjoyable, but stimulating, and an impressively articulate discussion led be a very articulate young man, who was destined to be heard more of in the years to come. The thanks were passed on by the President and the members showed their appreciation for an unforgettable morning at the Coleraine Probus Club.
Talk by Jack McCann on ‘The Youth Parliament’
Club President Graham Kane welcomed club members and then introduced our speaker for the morning, Mr Jack McCann, who is a member of the UK Youth Parliament. Jack began his talk with a little background information about himself. He has recently left college and will soon be starting a degree (in Chemistry - not Politics!?!?!?) at Warwick University.
Although Jack sees himself as 'a child of the "Good Friday agreement"', he has only recently became interested in 'politics' as such, when he became a member of the 'Youth Forum' about two years ago. He in now the officially elected member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) for 'East Londonderry'. Over this short time, his experiences have been something of a revelation to him, as he (and all MYPs) has a direct contact with nearly all our MLAs. From Jack's standpoint, he sees Stormont as being shrouded by ineffectiveness, as it is not making itself relevant to young people.
Jack said that he remembers coming home after his first day in secondary school (Loreto College, Coleraine) and saying to his mother, 'I've met a "Prod" in my class and he's alright'. That was only in 2006, and he thinks he has come a long way since then - he would say that his own political views are now similar to Ian Paisley Jr.!!
Jack went on to give an assured and clear description on how the Youth Parliament works, how he was elected and what issues the YP have been influential in progressing.
The talk was followed by an extended 'question and answer' session, which had members spontaneously clapping at many of Jack's replies. At the beginning of the session, the questions started with things like 'what age do you think young people should become interested in Politics?' - 'I was 16 … but the earlier the better' - or complaints that young don't appear to be interested in society, only their iPhones, iPods and the like. For Jack it's evidence that 'iPolitics' are required, more modern methods of communication and relevant content, as well as politics/politicians being SEEN to be relevant, are what is needed. As the Q&A session continued members made more complicated enquiries, one member asked a six part question, and we were all amazed that it drew the response of 'that's a big question, I'll have to answer that point by point' which he did, and got a hearty round of applause when he got to the end. The final questioner asked Jack, what elements of what party would he 'raise a flag for'. Jack answered that he was a signed up member of the N.I. Conservative Party, as at present he thought they best represented his views, BUT, he thought that as he developed, his views could change, and so he may find another party more appealing.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Cecil Leitch, who clearly spoke for all the members, when he summed up the talk as not only interesting and enjoyable, but stimulating, and an impressively articulate discussion led be a very articulate young man, who was destined to be heard more of in the years to come. The thanks were passed on by the President and the members showed their appreciation for an unforgettable morning at the Coleraine Probus Club.
(Secretary, Mike Turner)
