Arizona State University sent a delegation of 7 students and two advisors to Montreal this summer to participate in a North American Parliament. The Triumvirate brought together 100 university students from across North America for an international negotiation exercise in which they simulated a parliamentary meeting between North American political actors. Participants were assigned one of the three following roles: legislator (representing a country other than their own), journalist, or lobbyist.

This year’s four themes of debate were Fostering Renewable Electricity Markets, Countering North American corporate outsourcing, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and NAFTA’s Chapter 11 on investments.

The agenda featured guest speakers including Brigham Young University’s Dr. Earl H. Fry, Premier of Quebec Mr. Pierre Marc Johnson, Canadian Member of Parliament Mr. Gilles Duceppe, Canadian politician Mr. Jack Layton, and City council chairman and Borough Mayor of Montréal Nord Marcel Parent.

ASU students worked as journalists and legislators in all four commissions, as well as a Master of Ceremonies (Cledwyn Jones) and Commission Advisor (NACTS’s own Micah Pappas). Recent ASU graduate Eva Wingren (’08) won the “Excellent Performance” Award for her exemplary work leading her renewable energy commission.

Created by NACTS board member Christine Fréchette, the founding president and executive director of the North American Forum on Integration (NAFI), the Triumvirate aims to instill a North American mindset in the leaders of future generations. NACTS and ASU hope to continue supporting Ms. Fréchette.