Upper Canada College - Extracurricular Activities - Programs

Programs

The World Affairs Conference is Canada's oldest student run conference, begun in 1983 and organized in conjunction with Branksome Hall since the late 1980s. Held annually, it is attended by over 750 international students from 20 schools. Past speakers have included Ralph Nader, Stephen Lewis, Michael Ignatieff, Susan Faludi, Gwynne Dyer, and Thomas Homer-Dixon, all of whom have spoken on a variety of topics including human rights, gender issues, justice, globalization, and health ethics. Also in conjunction with other schools, UCC runs the Ontario Model Parliament (OMP), a simulation of a provincial parliament that has taken place each year since 1986, when it was founded by UCC teacher Paul Bennett, and is composed of two events: an Elections Day at UCC, followed by a three-day simulation that takes place in the legislative chamber at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. UCC students make up the entirety of the Executive Committee that organizes and runs the model parliament, however 200 students from high schools around the province participate. Past Elections Day speakers have included Art Eggleton, John Tory, John Aimers, Bob Rae, and Rex Murphy.

The UCC Green School is an environmental organization composed of student, teachers, and faculty, through which UCC has planted and maintained an educational organic garden, reduced landfill waste and water consumption, and implemented a program of purchasing renewable resources for renovations. The Green School has won awards from the City of Toronto and the National Audubon Society.